A Collection
by Frodo01228
Summary: A collection of one shot song fics that are either sad or happy. None of them are connected, and there's tons of different songs to choose from. I'm open for song suggestions too.
1. Total Eclipse of the Heart

I was cleaning out my room getting ready for our move, and I found these lyrics. I had printed them up for another story I was writing, but as I kept looking at them and reading them, I thought, "Hey, I could write a song fic about this. So, here is the beginning to what I hope will be a successful collection of little song fics.

This story is based on "Total Eclipse of the Heart" by Nikki French or whatever her name is….

Reviews: If you expected to see names here, you are sadly mistaken. I've just started the story! How can I get reviews for a story that's just started?

o

A quick note from the author: I'm hoping to make this a continuing story from any songs that suddenly pop into my mind that make me start thinking about a good DP song fic one-shot. So, this collection's probably not going to go anywhere anytime soon.

Disclaimer: I don't own DP or "Total Eclipse of the Heart". DP belongs to Butch Hartman, and "Eclipse" belong to Nikki French.

Turn Around 

Sam Manson slammed the door to her room, dropping her backpack on the floor and flopping onto her bed. She sighed, burying her face in her pillow. Every day was torture; every day she saw him with his adorable blue eyes and messy raven hair. She growled and grabbed the first thing she could reach and threw it across the room. It clanked against her desk, sounding very much like a CD case. She raised her head. It was a single by one of her mom's dumb, sappy artists. She sat up and grabbed the case then went to her door.

"Mom, you left one of your CD's in my room!" she yelled out into the hallway. No one answered. She sighed and moved to throw the CD out of her room then stopped, staring at it. "Ah, wouldn't hurt," she mumbled.

She closed the door then went over to her stereo system. Removing her usual depressing music, she turned on the CD. Sam played it twice before putting it on repeat; she couldn't help it. The more she listened to it, the more she felt it related to her.

"Hey, Sam." Danny stared as she jumped. "Since when can I sneak up on you and spook you like that?"

She whirled around, blushing a little. "Danny, hey… When did you start getting to school early?"

"When the ghost stopped coming around as much." He eyed her curiously. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Fine. Fine." She smiled a little too brightly for a goth. "Everything is perfect. I am not doing anything." The bell rang. "Oh, look, time for school!" She practically bolted from the computer lab, never realizing she had left her print out behind.

Danny picked it up, almost calling her back to tell her, but he stopped when he saw his name on it. They were lyrics to a song, a song Danny was sure Sam would never listen to if she was feeling "normal." Something was up with the goth, and he was going to find out what it was.

Sam lay on her bed, her head on her arm as she gazed out her window, listening to the music play from her stereo.

Turn around 

**Every now and then I get a little bit lonely**

**And you're never coming around**

**Turn around**

**Every now and then I get a little bit tired**

**Of listening to the sound of my tears**

**Turn around**

**Every now and then I get a little bit nervous**

**That the best of all the years have gone by**

**Turn around**

**Every now and then I get a little bit terrified**

**Then I see the look in your eyes**

**Turn around, bright eyes**

She didn't know that Danny Phantom floated invisibly near her ceiling, watching and listening to her sing. Danny was confused; Sam didn't like this kind of music. Not the Sam he knew, and who would she sing it _to_ anyway? She didn't have a boyfriend to miss like that.

Every now and then I fall apart 

**And I need you now tonight**

**And I need you more than ever**

**And if you'll only hold me tight**

**We'll be holding on forever**

**And we'll only be making it right**

'**Cause we'll never be wrong together**

**Once upon a time, I was falling in love**

**Now I'm only falling apart**

**Nothing I can do**

**A total eclipse of the heart**

Danny floated closer then cringed as he knocked over a stack of books. Sam whirled around, turning off the music. She stepped forward, her eyes wide.

"Danny?" she whispered.

The halfa cursed under his breath then flew through her ceiling, heading home. He paused, turning to look at her house. _She isn't singing about...me, is she?_

Since the night she thought she had received an invisible visit, Sam had put the CD away. One week later, she brought it out once more.

Turn around 

**Every now and then I get a little bit lonely**

**And you're never coming around**

**Turn around**

**Every now and then I get a little bit tired**

**Of listening to the sound of my tears**

**Turn around**

**Every now and then I get a little bit nervous**

**That the best of all the years have gone by**

**Turn around**

**Every now and then I get a little bit terrified**

**Then I see the look in your eyes**

**Turn around, bright eyes**

Every now and then I fall apart 

**And I need you now tonight**

**And I need you more than ever**

**And if you'll only hold me tight**

**We'll be holding on forever**

**And we'll only be making it right**

'**Cause we'll never be wrong together**

**Once upon a time, I was falling in love**

**Now I'm only falling apart**

**Nothing I can do**

**A total eclipse of the heart**

She sighed, dropping down onto her bed. Why was he always trying to be noticed? Didn't he know someone who cared already noticed him?

Turn around 

**Every now and then I know you'll never**

**Be the boy you always wanted to be**

**Turn around**

**Every now and then I know there's no one in the**

**Universe as magical and wondrous as you**

**Turn around**

**Every now and then I know there's nothing any better**

**There's nothing that I just wouldn't do**

**I need you tonight**

**And I need you more than ever**

**And if you'll only hold me tight**

**We'll be holding on forever**

**And we'll only be making it right**

'**Cause we'll never be wrong together**

**Together we can take it to the end of the line**

**Your love is like a shadow on me all of the time**

**I don't know what to do**

**I'm always in the dark**

**We're living in a power keg**

**And giving off sparks**

**I really need you tonight**

**Forever's gunna start tonight**

She buried her face in the pillow. _I'm not going to cry. I'm not going to cry..._ She lifted her head, punching her pillow in frustration. _Darn you, Mom, and your sappy music_.

Once upon a time I was falling in love 

**But now I'm only falling apart**

**Nothing I can do**

**A total eclipse of the heart**

**Once upon a time there was light in my life**

**But now there's only love in the dark**

**Nothing I can say**

**A total eclipse of the heart**

**Nothing I can do**

**A total eclipse of the heart**

She sat up, trembling as a sudden chill washed over her. A red rose in a clear vase sat on her dresser. Her heart was racing in her chest as she reached for the rose.

"Turn around," a familiar voice whispered.


	2. White Flag

_**This story is based on "White Flag" by Dido.**_

**_Reviews: _**Samantha-Girl Scout, and Sam-n-Danny1

_**A quick note from the author: Okay, I'm going to do a questionnaire here because I need help with some songs I want to do for my collection. Please, please, please send me a PM answering these questions! Preferably before you read this story.**_

_**1 If you were doing a story based on the song "Falling" by 3 Below, what would it be about?**_

_**2 If you were going to do a story based on "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! By A Teens, what would it be about? What about "Upside Down" by the same band?**_

_**3 If you were to do a story based on "Complicated" by Avril, what would it be about? What about "Loves You Not" by Dream? Would "Loves You Not" be a battle between Sam and Paulina for Danny's affection?**_

_**4 What about "Tearin' Up My Heart" by Nsync? Or "Just About Enough" by Sabrina Paris?**_

_**5 What would you do for "Echelon" by 30 Seconds to Mars?**_

_**Please, please, please help me! Especially you, Sam, if you're reading this. I really, really, really, really, really need help! I won't update Raelie unless you answer these questions, Sam.**_

**Disclaimer: Danny Phantom belongs to Butch Hartman. "White Flag" belongs to Dido and her record company.

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**I Always Will Be**

Two teens walked down the darkened street toward a park that held so many memories for them. The taller teen had raven hair like his female companion, but his eyes were blue. His hands were tucked in his pockets, his shoulders slumped, and his deep eyes betrayed his feelings of hurt, confusion, and uncertainty.

He kept glancing at the lilac-eyed female beside him. Her eyes betrayed nothing nor did her stature. The blue-eyed teen beside her smiled a little, glancing away. Sam never had been one to show her emotions. Even when they were dating.

I know you think that 

**I shouldn't still love you**

**Or tell you that**

**But if I didn't say it**

**Well I'd still have felt it**

**Where's the sense in that?**

**I promise I'm not trying to make your life harder**

**Or return to where we were**

Dating someone as goth as her had its difficulties. Danny always had a hard time knowing how she was feeling, and she wasn't big on public shows of affection. The best friends had become something more, but it had taken their other friend Tucker nearly a year to figure it out. By then, things had gotten so hard that Danny nearly expected every call from her to be the "break-up call," and today it had finally happened. He understood, or at least tried to understand, why she thought they needed to break up. It was hard to understand when Sam wouldn't share her emotions.

I will go down with this ship 

**I won't put my hands up and surrender**

**There will be no white flag above my door**

**I'm in love and always will be**

He took her hand to help her up the hill almost wishing he never had to let her go, but at the top she released his hand and sat on the grass, looking up at the stars. He sat beside her: not too close but not too far away. He was silent, afraid that if he spoke he would be unable to stop himself from begging her not to send their relationship back to "just friends," and Sam was silent because now that she was here with him, she was having second thoughts. She wasn't one for outer emotions but inside they were having their own private battle.

I know I left too much mess and 

**Destruction to come back again**

**And I cause nothing but trouble**

**I understand if you can't talk to me again**

**And if you live by the rules of "it's over"**

**Then I'm sure that makes sense but**

Sam kept her hands in her lap; she wanted to touch him or feel his touch again, but she had to do this. She had been the one that wanted to break up. She needed to do this for her sake and his. Danny looked over at her; she was biting her lips. She looked nervous, like maybe she was rethinking her decision. He looked away. He thought he should be happy that they just might not break up, but for some reason he wasn't. Something had changed in him in this little bit of time. He loved Sam; he always would, but…he couldn't place it.

I will go down with this ship 

**I won't put my hands up and surrender**

**There will be no white flag above my door**

**I'm in love and always will be**

She looked up at him, and Danny looked at her. So many things had gone wrong in their relationship, and she was sure it was mainly her fault. Danny had always been good at sensing her feelings even if she didn't speak them out loud, but sometimes even he couldn't tell how she was feeling. She felt guilty doing this to him. She didn't want to hid her emotions from him anymore. She wanted him to know exactly how she felt.

"I love you, Sam," Danny whispered.

"I love you too," she whispered back, leaning in to kiss him.

And when we meet 

**Which I'm sure we will**

**All that was then**

**Will be there still**

**I'll let it pass**

**And hold my tongue**

**And you will think**

**That I've moved on**

They kissed again, keeping it sweet and tender. Neither was sure if this was their last kiss or if there would be ore after this. Danny realized what he felt as Sam kissed him again. He loved Sam, but she wasn't ready for a relationship like this. He kissed her again before pulling away, resting his forehead against hers.

"Sam," he whispered. "I do love you. If I didn't say it, I'd be lying, but…I don't think you're ready for this. I think maybe we should go back to being just friends."

Her eyes filled with tears, and she took a deep breath. "Danny, please—"

He stopped her with his hand then stood and walked away, leaving a stunned Sam behind. Someday would be their day, but for now they would just be friends. Someday when Sam was ready they would try again because Danny was in love, and he always would be.

I will go down with this ship 

**I won't hold my hands up and surrender**

**There will be no white flag above my door**

**I'm in love and always will be**

I will go down with this ship 

**I won't hold my hands up and surrender**

**There will be no white flag above my door**

**I'm in love and always will be**

I will go down with this ship 

**I won't hold my hands up and surrender**

**There will be no white flag above my door**

**I'm in love and always will be

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**

_**A/N: I know this one was sadder, but it was still kind of cute. Danny still loves her, and Sam still loves him, but she's just not ready to have someone else that needs to know her feelings. Remember, fill out the questionnaire under "A quick note from the author." I really want to know what ideas you guys have!**_


	3. You were meant for me

**This story is based on "You Were Meant for Me" by Jewel.**

**Reviews:**Oops, guess I forgot who reviewed for the last chapter. Sorry:(

**A quick note from the author: In this story, Danny and Sam have already been together for a year or something. Okay? Okay.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own DP. "You Were Meant for Me" was written by Jewel and is the full property of Jewel and the record company that records it. Blah, blah, blah…

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**

**So Far From Where I've Been**

An alarm clock beside the bed beeped, alerting the sleeper that it was 6 a.m. The figure in the bed groaned and opened his blue eyes. He ran a hand through his messy black hair, sighing then slapping the alarm off. He sat up and stretched before heading into the kitchen. Raven bangs fell over his eyes as he cooked his breakfast.

Living alone had been hard for Danny, but after Sam had left, he'd adjusted to it…slowly. He sighed and served his food on a clean plate. Sam hated it when he served things on dirty plates. He sat down and ate slowly, thinking about Sam. He knew she loved him just as much as he loved her, but she couldn't live with a slob. He didn't blame her for that.

**I hear the clock, it's six a.m.**

**I feel so far from where I've been**

**I got my eggs, I got my pancakes too**

**Got my maple syrup, everything but you**

**I break the yolks and make a smiley face**

**I kinda like it in my brand new place**

**I wipe the spots off the mirror, don't leave the keys in the door**

**I never put wet towels on the floor anymore 'cause**

**Dreams last for so long even after you're gone**

**I know you love me and soon you will see**

**You were meant for me, and I was meant for you**

He put his plate in the sink then walked into the hallway with a cup of coffee. He stood at the window looking out, sipping his coffee before grabbing the phone and dialing his parents' number.

"Hello?"

He blinked. "Jazz? What are you doing over there?"

"Erik and I brought the kids over. What's up?"

"I…just wanted to talk to Mom."

"She went for a walk. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he lied, looking down at his coffee and swirling it in his cup.

"Danny, it's not good to bottle up your emotions."

He closed his eyes. "Jazz, when I need a shrink, I'll call you," he said shortly.

"Well, okay, but I really think you should—"

He hung up, opening his eyes and picking up the paper. He set his coffee on the table and sat down to read the paper. There wasn't much to read. Nothing exciting ever happened in Amity Park unless there was an escaped ghost, and even then he cleaned up the situation quickly and often without being seen. Every once in a while, the Amity Park reporters got lucky and caught him in a hard battle.

He threw the paper aside and left his cold coffee on the table as he grabbed his keys and opened the front door. It was raining, which only added to his depressed mood. He grabbed his coat and pulled it on, locking the door behind him then stuffing his keys and hands in his pockets.

**I called my momma, she was out for a walk**

**Consoled a cup of coffee, but it didn't wanna talk**

**So I picked up the paper, it was more bad news**

**More hearts being broken or people being used**

**Put on my coat in the pouring rain**

**I saw a movie it just wasn't the same**

'**Cause it was happy, and I was sad and**

**It made me miss you oh so bad 'cause**

**Dreams last for so long, even after you're gone**

**I know you love me and soon you will see**

**You were meant for me, and I was meant for you**

He walked to the theatre, not caring that his hair was soaked by the time he arrived. He wiped his wet and sticking bangs from his forehead as he bought a ticket and headed inside. He sat in the chair, not even bothering to look at the movie. He thought about the time Sam had wished they'd never met that one day when he'd planned to go to Paulina's party as Danny Phantom instead of going with Sam to the movies like he'd promised before.

Desiree had granted Sam's wish, and Danny found himself without powers and without any memory of Sam. He sighed, looking up at the movie. After they'd gotten that whole situation cleared up, he'd taken her to the movies like he promised. He stood and left the theatre. It was still raining outside so Danny walked down an alley, went ghost, and flew home. He landed on the roof and gazed across the town. He changed back to human form then pulled out his cell. He stared at the phone then dialed Sam's number. It rang twice before someone picked up.

"Hello?"

He didn't speak, his heart racing in his chest just from hearing her voice.

"Hello?"

He remained silent. What was he supposed to say: I miss you, come home? He sighed.

"Danny?" she whispered.

He quickly pulled the phone away and hung up. How had she known?

**I go about my business, I'm doing fine**

**Besides, what would I say if I had you on the line?**

**Sam old story, not much to say**

**Hearts are broken every day**

He went ghost again, sinking through his roof into his bedroom. He went intangible so the water fell right off of him.

"That was smart," he muttered, soaking the water up from the carpet with a towel.

He returned to human form and went to brush his teeth, making sure he turned the light off. He grabbed a book and set it on his nightstand then put on his pajamas and looked around. He may have been half alive because of his ghost side, but now that Sam was gone he felt dead. There was no doubt about it: he missed her. He sat on his bed, opening the book. He needed to concentrate on something else. That was all it was.

**I brush my teeth and put the cap back on**

**I know you hate it when I leave the light on**

**I pick up a book and turn the sheets down and then**

**Take a deep breath and a good look around**

**Put on my pj's and hop into bed**

**I'm half alive but I feel mostly dead**

**I try to tell myself it'll be all right**

**I just shouldn't think anymore tonight 'cause**

**Dreams last so long, even after you're gone**

**I know you love me and soon I know you will see**

**You were meant for me, and I was meant for you**

**Yeah, you were meant for me, and I was meant for you**

Something had woken him. He opened his eyes, rubbing the back of his hand across them. When had he fallen asleep? Something touched him, and he whirled around, eyes wide. Sam was sitting beside him, smiling softly. He stared at her.

"I'm dreaming," he muttered, rubbing his eyes again. "Nobody pinch me." She laughed then pinched him. "Ow!" He rubbed his arm, eyeing her curiously. "Why aren't you disappearing?"

"Because I'm not a dream, silly." She ruffled his hair. "This is real, Danny," she said softly.

"It's real," he whispered, touching her. Then he pulled her close, burying his face in her hair. "This is definitely real."

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_**A/N: Okay, how many of you thought I was going to leave it where he just falls asleep and that's it? How many of you thought I was going to make the end where something wakes him a dream he really was having? How many of you knew I wouldn't be able to make two depressing tales in a row without making one end up happy at the end? Seriously now, people. Tell me which one you thought. I want to tally up the votes and post it for the next one. :D If you thought I was going to leave him asleep, type a 1 at the beginning of your review. If you thought I was going to make him dream, type 2. If you knew I was going to end it somehow like this, type 3. Well, that's all. See you next time. :D**_


	4. Back Here

**_This story is based on "Back Here" by BBMak. I don't think that band made it for very long. I only ever heard one of their songs, and then poof! They were gone…_**

**_Reviews: _**vincetroyConnection-atz, Samantha-Girl Scout

**_Results of the poll at the end of "So Far From Where I've Been"_**

**_Total Votes: 2_**

_**Leaving him asleep:**_

_**Dreaming about Sam:**_

**_Knew it was going to happen: 2_**

_**A quick note from the author: This one's sad and short. If you don't like sad a short, I suggest skipping this one. Also, if you've ever seen the music video for this song, this story is nothing like that music video. Danny is not going to be standing in the middle of an airport singing this song and playing the guitar. People will not be throwing money into his guitar case (because he won't have one), and Sam is not coming back at the end! Oops, I just gave away the ending. Ah, maybe you won't read this. Maybe if I just keep making it look longer and longer some of you will go, "Okay, that paragraph does not look like a "quick note" from the author. It looks like a long, rambling thing that just goes on forever." Well, enough rambling because perhaps many of you skipped this note and decided to move on to the story. Oh, I hope you did because I gave away the ending in this paragraph! Like you didn't know it was going to happen anyway! Haven't you noticed my pattern yet? Happy, sad, happy, sad, happy, sad…. And so on and so forth. :D**_

**Disclaimer: Danny Phantom is the sole property of Butch Hartman and Nickelodeon. "Back Here" is the sole property of BBMak and whoever was their record company. These things are so boring...

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**Misery**

Danny walked down the street, his hands stuffed in his pockets. Not a day went by where he didn't think of Sam. How could he not? It was his dumb fault that she had moved away. He was the jerk that had made her leave. No one believed him, but that was because they didn't know.

**Baby set me free from this misery**

**I can't take it no more**

**Since you went away nothing's been the same**

**Don't know what I'm living for**

**Here I am so alone**

**And there's nothing in this world I can do**

**Until you're back here baby**

**Miss you want you need you so**

**Until you're back here baby yeah**

**There's a feeling inside I want you to know**

**You are the one and I can't let you go**

He still remembered that day like it was yesterday. Sam had accidentally let it slip that she loved him. He had been too shocked to say anything, and she had run in shame. He had felt like a jerk after that and planned to make it up to her…later.

**So I told you lies even made you cry**

**Baby I was so wrong**

**Girl I promise you now my love is true**

**This is where my heart belongs**

'**Cause here I am so alone**

**And there's nothing in this world I can do**

**Until you're back here baby**

**Miss you want you need you so**

**Until you're back here baby yeah**

**There's a feeling inside I want you to know**

**You are the one and I can't let you go**

Unfortunately, things hadn't worked out that way. They went from bad to worse. Danny and Sam had a fight the next day, and he childishly told her he hated her. He had never seen Sam cry, and he was too stupid to run after her when she fled. One week later, he went to her house to apologize only to find they had moved.

**And I wonder, are you thinking of me**

'**Cause I'm thinking of you**

**And I wonder**

**Are you ever coming back in my life?**

'**Cause here I am so alone**

**And there's nothing in this world I can do**

**Until you're back here baby**

**Miss you want you need you so**

**Until you're back here baby yeah**

**There's a feeling inside I want you to know**

**You are the one and I can't let you go**

She had left a note. It wasn't emotional; it wasn't hateful. She was upset and hurt, and Danny had wished he had had the time to apologize and tell her just how much she really meant to him.

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_**A/N: Now, those of you that know my work really well (cough) Sam (cough) know that there is still some hope even in this sad tale that Danny and Sam will end up together. Besides, this is just one of many stories in this collection. I just might break my pattern and make more happy ones than sad ones. But then my emotions would be more happy than sad, making me really hyper. If I even them out then my emotions are even and then I'm just kind of…neutral. Can you feel neutral? Hmm…**_


	5. I Will Carry You

_**This story is based on "I Will Carry You" by Clay Aiken. I love this song.**_

**_Reviews: _**Names go here…

_**A quick note from the author: Hmm…. I don't really have a note. Oh, wait, yes I do. If you were going to write a one-shot based on the song "I Wanna Be Bad" by Willa Ford, what would you do? I'm thinking of a sort of sexy dance between Danny and Sam with the song playing in the background. What do you think? Answer this in a PM or I shall never update anything ever again! That usually works pretty good for Sam, even if her mob is scary….**_

**Disclaimer: These things are so boring so I've written a limerick for the disclaimer of the song.**

**There once was a girl from Nantucket**

**Who couldn't carry a tune in a bucket**

**Then one day she wrote**

**A great song in a boat**

**But it was not this song, you goat.**

**So, the girl in the limerick is supposed to be me, but I _can_ carry a tune! Well, I don't know if I can in a bucket… Hmm.**

**I couldn't think of a limerick for Danny Phantom or Butch Hartman so I DON'T OWN DP. There. If you guys can think of some funny limericks to go for the disclaimers, I would totally appreciate it. You will, of course, receive credit and cookies. :D

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**Don't Give Up**

She looked up at the sky, brushing her raven hair back. She sat back on her bed, still gazing at the stars. Her lilac eyes were sad, and she was so alone. Her parents had gone on a cruise, and aside from the servants she had the mansion to herself. She lay down on her bed, curling up under her favorite blanket. It was black fleece with the symbol she had made for Danny for his jumpsuit; Danny had given it to her for her birthday. She sighed. _Danny..._

**yeah, i know it hurts**

**yeah, i know you're scared**

**walking down the road that leads**

**to who knows where**

**don't you hang your head**

**don't you give up yet**

**when courage starts to disappear**

**i will be right here**

On the other side of town, a white-haired half ghost with glowing green eyes sat on the roof of his house, thinking. Life was pretty much back to normal even with his ghost powers. The ghosts had begun to learn that it wasn't good to mess with him, and he had been able to pull his grades up with the help of Tucker and Sam. _Sam..._ She was going to be alone in her mansion for a while. Her parents had gone on a month-long cruise. _I should probably check on her and see how she's doing._

**when your world breaks down**

**and the voices tell you turn around**

**when your dreams give out**

**i will carry you, carry you**

**when the stars go blind**

**and the darkness starts to flood your eyes**

**when you're falling behind**

**i will carry you**

He stood then took to the skies. He loved flying; it was his favorite part about being half ghost. He especially liked flying with Sam. There was just something different about flying just with her; maybe it was the way she held on to him with such trust. He flew down to her window. She was asleep, curled up with the blanket he had given her. He gloated through the window, watching her. She looked so sad, and she began to shiver from his ghostly presence so he changed back to his raven-haired, blue-eyed human side, sitting on the floor beside her bed. She stirred, the blanket slipping off her shoulder just a little, and Danny tugged it back up to her chin.

**everybody cries, everybody bleeds**

**no one ever said that life's an easy thing**

**that's the beauty of it**

**when you loose your way**

**close your eyes**

**and go to sleep**

**and wake up to another day**

He brushed her hair away from her face; he felt kind of like a stalker sitting here with her, but he felt bad that she was all alone in this big house. She was his best friend, and he hated to see her all alone. Her parents didn't care about leaving her at home like this, but Danny did. Sam might not say it out loud, but Danny knew her well enough to know she didn't like to be alone.

**when your world breaks down**

**and the voices tell you turn around**

**when your dreams give out**

**i will carry you, carry you**

**when the stars go blind**

**and the darkness starts to flood your eyes**

**when you're falling behind**

**i will carry you**

She rolled over, a tear trailing down her cheek. He gently brushed it away, smiling sadly. She always felt she was so alone, but she didn't realize just how wrong she was. She was never alone because he was always with her. Maybe not in the physical sense, but he was with her in the spiritual sense. He sighed, standing up and heading for the window. She needed her sleep; they would talk tomorrow.

**you should know now that you're not alone**

**take my heart and we will find**

**you will find your way home**

"Don't go," her soft voice whispered.

He turned around, ice blue eyes gazing into her own lilac ones. No words passed between them as he returned to her side, sitting on the bed beside her. She rested her head in his lap, closing her eyes as he began to run his hand through her hair. She knew now that she was never alone. Danny would always be there for her. He would carry her through the darkness.

**when your dreams give out**

**i will carry you, carry you**

**when the stars go blind**

**and the darkness starts to flood your eyes**

**when you're falling behind**

**i will carry you, carry you**

**i will carry you, carry you**

**i will carry you, carry you**

**i will carry you**

**

* * *

**

_**A/N: This wasn't how I had originally written it. I didn't like how I had written it. It was too happy and goofy for this song. As I was rewriting it, I planned it to have no words whatsoever, but Sam's little thing worked too. So, what do you think? And ANSWER THAT QUESTION IN A QUICK NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR or I will never update. Okay? Okay.**_


	6. Be My Lover

**Thanks for the reviews:** Samantha-Girl Scout, nobody.

**A quick note: This chapter was a little hard to write because the kitten my parents brought home from their date night was sleeping on part of the laptop. He was so cute though. I couldn't bring myself to move little Maxamillion. I'm trying to convince my daddy to let me keep him now. :D**

**Warning: This chapter is rated M for mature, adult content. AKA sex. If you feel you can handle it, continue. However, the suggested age is 17.

* * *

**

**Chapter 6: Be My Lover**

Danny flew into Sam's room, turning human. He heard someone gasp from near the bathroom and turned. His eyes widened as he caught a view of Sam's naked body before she gripped the towel to herself. The halfa was stunned and swallowed hard as the goth girl looked ready to pummel him, but she stopped, watching him. He shifted nervously, stepping forward. That one glimpse had given him a desire he'd never had before: a desire for Sam.

The goth girl raised her head to keep her eyes locked on his as he reached her, standing barely inches from her. Her eyes began to close as the gap shrank, and Danny's lips claimed hers. He had kissed Sam before; there had been fake-out make-outs and childhood dares, but this kiss was something different. He poured all of his passion, love, and desire into the one kiss, suckling on her bottom lip to gain entrance to her mouth. Her towel was forgotten as she raised her hands to grasp Danny's shirt.

**yo, i'll tell you what i want**

**what i really, really want**

**so tell me what you want**

**what you really, really want**

**i'll tell you what i want**

**what i really, really want**

**so tell me wat you want**

**what you really, really want**

**i wanna, i wanna, i wanna, i wanna**

**really, really, really wanna zigazig ha**

He heard a moan escape her as he wrapped his arms around her small, naked form, pulling her closer. The feel of her bare skin against his clothing was…erotic, to say the least. They had both taken sex-ed in their junior year, and they both knew that if someone didn't stop, they'd end up going all the way. Sam's hands skimmed Danny's sides as she moved to the hem of his t-shirt, tugging on it in her desire to remove it.

Danny released her from the kiss only long enough for her to pull the shirt over his head and on the floor before devouring her lips hungrily once more. His hand trailed down her thigh, making her gasp then moan. She willingly let Danny run his hand over the back of her thigh, raising her legs to wrap them around his waist. He groaned as the small movement had excited him even farther. He carried her to the bed, lowering her down gently and hovering over her.

**if you want my future**

**forget my past**

**if you wanna get with me**

**better make it fast**

**now don't go wasting**

**my precious time**

**get your act together**

**we could be just fine**

He broke off the kiss to gaze into her eyes. Was she sure she wanted to do this? She smiled at him, her hands moving to the buckles and zipper of his jeans. He didn't object as she removed them, lowering his head to place gentle kisses on her neck, shoulders, and breasts. She couldn't control the moans and gasps that left her lips; his kisses burned a trail down her body as she struggled to remove the remaining clothing.

She growled in frustration when it became evident that her lust was overcoming her ability to control her hands, and Danny chuckled, phasing out of his jeans and boxers. Sam had never seen a guy before and was a little curious as to what he looked like down there. She glanced past his waist and gasped, making Danny's face redden.

**i'll tell you what i want**

**what i really, really want**

**so tell me wat you want**

**what you really, really want**

**i wanna, i wanna, i wanna, i wanna**

**really, really, really wanna zigazig ha**

"You'll make it worse if you stare at it," he muttered, embarrassed.

She looked up at him, giggling. "I guess I'm not just one of the guys anymore, huh?"

"You were never one of the guys," he whispered, leaning down to kiss her lips. "You were always Sam."

She wrapped her arms loosely around his shoulders as he positioned himself over her before slowly lowering into her. Her head fell back as she moaned, passion and pleasure swirling together in her blood. Danny stopped just short of her maidenhood, rotated his hips, then thrust quickly. Sam cried out, burying her face in the crook of his neck as she tightened her hold on him. He didn't move, setting butterfly kisses on her neck and shoulder.

**if you wanna be my lover**

**you gotta get with my friends**

**make it last forever**

**friendship never ends**

**if you wanna be my lover**

**you have got to give**

**taking is too easy**

**but that's the way it is**

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "The pain will be gone soon," he assured her.

She raised her gaze to his once more, tears shining in her eyes. "Go ahead," she whispered, her voice quivering just a little.

He moved slowly in a rhythm that she was quick to follow, their hips meeting with each thrust. Danny wanted to make this special for Sam, but it was hard to think on that when she was moving against him and beneath him so temptingly. He controlled himself, drawing each movement out in enticing agony. Sam growled at him, biting his shoulder in her demand for him to go faster. He complied then watched her face as it suddenly hit her.

**what do you think about that**

**now you know how i feel**

**say you can handle my love**

**are you for real**

**i won't be hasty**

**i'll give you a try**

**if you really bug me**

**then i'll say goodbye**

Sam cried out in her passion, arching toward him and digging her nails into his back and arms. Danny wasn't far behind, shuddering on top of her as he groaned her name, his eyes flashing from blue to green. They collapsed back onto the bed, both of them panting. He rolled off of her, removing himself from her and pulling her close so she rested her head on his strong chest. They were silent for a while, still recovering, then Danny suddenly sat up as realization hit him.

"Sam…" He stared at her in disbelief, shaking his head. "Sam, why did you let me do that?"

"What do you mean?" She looked up at him in confusion.

**i'll tell you what i want**

**what i really, really want**

**so tell me wat you want**

**what you really, really want**

**i wanna, i wanna, i wanna, i wanna**

**really, really, really wanna zigazig ha**

Danny felt terrible. In his desire, he had taken her virginity, something he knew Sam had wanted to save for the one she loved. "Can you ever forgive me?" he asked weakly. "I should've never let it go that far."

She smiled up at him, shaking her head. "Danny, I wanted this just as much as you. You don't have anything to be sorry for."

**if you wanna be my lover**

**you gotta get with my friends**

**make it last forever**

**friendship never ends**

**if you wanna be my lover**

**you have got to give**

**taking is too easy**

**but that's the way it is**

He was stunned. "But…you said—"

"I know what I said," she whispered soothingly, pulling him back down to her, "and I did give my virginity to the one I love: you."

He smiled, his guilt disappearing to be replaced by love and adoration for the girl beside him. "Sam…" He pulled her close, tenderly kissing her. "Oh, Sam, I love you too," he whispered.

**if you wanna be my lover**

**you gotta get with my friends**

**make it last forever**

**friendship never ends**

**if you wanna be my lover**

**you have got to give**

**taking is too easy**

**but that's the way it is

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**

**Last note from the author: Remember the cat I mentioned at the beginning? During the course of this story, it moved from the laptop to my shoulder to down on the couch beside me then back into my lap. Isn't that cute?**


	7. Loves you Not

**This story's based on "Loves You Not" by Dream. I just totally loved this song for the story I wrote!**

**Reviews: **Galateagirl

**A quick note from the author: I could always imagine a season finale where Paulina dares Sam to get a date with Danny. Since it will probably never be made into an actual episode, I wrote it here instead. Hmm, I wonder if Butch Hartman ever looks around for fan fictions about Danny Phantom for episode ideas. That would be really cool. :D**

**Disclaimer: This little ditty was made up by Samantha-Girl Scout herself for Danny Phantom.**

**Roses are red**

**Violets are blue**

**I love him but won't own him**

**So get a clue!**

**Isn't it so cute? Thanks, Sam!**

**I don't own the song "Loves you not" by Dream. I wish I had a copy of the song. I like this song. I went to a skating rink with the guy I like (the guy that Fallen is dedicated to), and it was playing. It was cool, and I had a lot of fun. :D Anyway, on to the story!**

**

* * *

Never Gunna Make it With You**

A raven-haired teen walked down the hallway, her lilac eyes searching the area. She smiled when she caught sight of her best friend by his locker along with their other friend. Her best friend looked up and smiled.

"Hey, Sam," he said, brushing raven bangs away from pale blue eyes.

"Hey, Danny." She opened her locker and began putting her books inside and removing those she would need for class today.

"Hey, um, Sam. Do you have your math homework?" Danny asked.

She sighed, glancing at the boy beside her. "You know I don't approve of cheating."

"Please, Sam?" he begged, giving her his best puppy-dog eyes and clasping his hands together. "I didn't get to finish it because there was this ghost, and he—"

"Okay, okay," she muttered, handing him the work.

"Thank you!" He flashed her a crooked smile then walked away with Tucker.

She watched them walk away, shaking her head. "Why am I so in love with you?" she mumbled to herself.

"I knew you liked him."

She whirled around to face the Hispanic princess of Casper High. "What do _you_ want, Paulina?" she spat out.

"I want to dare you." Paulina smiled sweetly. "I dare you that you can't get a date with Danny Fenton. If you get a date with Danny, you'll finally have your Danny. If you don't get a date with him, who knows who will instead." She giggled then walked away, swaying her hips in a sickeningly way.

Sam growled, balling her fists. "Oh, you are so on, girl."

**give it your all girl, give it all you got**

**you can take a chance, and take your best shot**

**say what you want girl, do what you do**

**he's never gunna, gunna make it with you**

Danny doodled in his notebook, his thoughts wandering. Sam had been acting…weird since he had borrowed her homework. She was distracted and moody and kept blushing. Even Tucker agreed she was being weirder than normal. She was goth, and Goths did _not_ act like this. He grabbed a blank piece of paper and scribbled a quick note: _Sam, you feeling okay?_ He passed the note to her when Mr. Lancer's back was turned.

Sam passed it back minutes later with the reply, _Paulina's just getting under my skin. As usual._ Danny could just imagine Sam rolling her eyes.

_Want me to sick Tuck' on her?_ he offered. He caught Sam muffling a laugh before scribbling her reply. _No, trust me. I can deal with her. I'm surprised you'd want Tucker to "attack" your "one true love."_

Danny hesitated for a moment. He wasn't really crushing on Paulina anymore. He almost wished Sam had taken his offer. _Well, I wouldn't call her my "one true love."_ _I don't know who is._ He passed the note.

He doodled while he waited for Sam's response, but at that moment a blue mist escaped his mouth. He ducked along with the rest of the class as a missile blew apart the back wall. He turned to Sam and Tucker, mouthing "cover me" before taking off to change into his ghostly counterpart. He skidded to a halt just before he could run into Paulina, thinking _What is she doing wandering the halls when she should be in class?_

"Hi, Danny! Want to have lunch with me today?" she asked.

"Yeah, sure." He ran off, slipping into the locker room that was thankfully empty.

A blue ring appeared at his middle before splitting into two, one heading for his head while the other went to his feet. His usual jeans and t-shirt were replaced with a black jumpsuit with white boots, gloves, and a belt. His blue eyes were transformed to an eerily glowing green, and his raven hair was now ghostly white.

**you're pulling petals of a flower trying to get your way**

**keep pulling till it says what you want it to say**

**girl, you can pick a field full of daisies**

**but he'd still be my baby**

Paulina watched in awe as her hero flew past her. The classroom he entered emptied as students ran from the battle. The little goth girl ran up to her looking furious.

"What, are you stalking Danny?" she spat out.

"Can't stand a little harmless competition?" Paulina smirked then tossed her hair over her shoulder and sashayed away.

"She's so beautiful," Tucker drooled, earning himself a hard kick in the shin from Sam.

Sam was growling, her whole body tense. "That annoying, preppy—" She was interrupted by Danny yelling out as Skulker threw him out of the classroom and into the hallway.

The ghost boy smashed into a wall of lockers, bringing them down on top of him. Skulker flew into the hallway, and Tucker flipped open the Fenton Thermos and captured the ghost. Sam, meanwhile, ran to check on Danny.

"Danny, you okay?" she asked.

"Thankfully, yes," the teen's muffled reply came back. "I managed to go through one of the lockers." He rematerialized above them, looking down at them. "Whoa, that could have ended bad."

"Injuries?" Sam asked.

Danny changed back to his human side, shrugging. "Just a scratch." He pulled up his sleeve, and both she and Tucker grimaced.

"That is way more than a 'scratch,' Danny," Sam objected. "Come on, let's get you patched up before your parents kill you."

Danny grinned at Tucker as Sam dragged him away. Outside, Paulina scowled as she watched Sam and Danny enter a limo. At least she was sure Danny and Sam weren't going on that date yet. She rolled her eyes as Tucker walked up to her and held out his hand. Sometimes she hated to pay for geek help.

**and i know you can hardly wait till i'm away from him**

**instinctively i know what you're thinking**

**you'll be giving him an open invitation**

**but my baby won't be taken in**

Danny remained still, sitting on Sam's bed as she dabbed at his "cut" with a cotton ball doused in alcohol. He admitted it wasn't really just a scratch, and he had to admit it hurt too especially with alcohol burning it.

"Ow." He pulled away, giving her a pained look. "That stings."

"Oh, don't be such a baby," she argued, but she was gentle the next time. Once she had cleaned it, she took some gauze and medical tape and patched him up.

"Thanks." He pulled his sleeve down. "Why do you have a huge med kit like this in your room anyway?"

Sam shrugged. "I told my parents I needed it because you keep getting beat up by ghosts."

Danny gave her a look, and she laughed. "I guess we better get back to school," Danny said, standing and turning back to Danny Phantom. "I'll fly us there. We'll make it in time for class before lunch."

"Joy," Sam muttered, sounding ecstatic about making it to class.

He laughed. "Come on." He took her hand, and before she could object they had flown through her bedroom window. She was going to have a lot of explaining to do to the help when she came home.

**you can pout your cherry lips**

**try to tempt him with a sweet kiss**

**you can flirt your pretty eyes**

**he ain't got his hands tied**

Paulina waved Danny over as soon as he entered the cafeteria. Sam and Tucker stared between the popular girl and the stunned halfa.

"Oh, no," he groaned. "I agreed to eat lunch with her."

"You did?" Sam asked, her hands gripping her tray tightly and her lips pursing.

"And you're not running over there panting, why?" Tucker asked.

"Maybe because I didn't _want_ to eat lunch with her," Danny muttered before reluctantly walking over to the table. He shot a helpless look in Sam's direction before sitting across form the popular girl.

"That girl is going to pay for ever talking me into this dare in the first place," Sam growled.

"Hey, Danny _is_ your best friend. Just because he's sitting with Paulina doesn't mean you can't sit with him," Tucker said.

Sam stared at the techno geek. "Tuck', you're brilliant," She walked over to the table.

Tucker grinned. "I know I am." He quickly left the room as Sam sat down beside Danny.

"Excuse me, you were not invited," Paulina spat out as soon as Sam sat.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize I had to be invited to eat lunch with my friend," Sam said, smiling sweetly.

Danny glanced a smile in her direction, mouthing "Thank you" when Paulina wasn't looking.

"So, Danny," Paulina nearly purred, "what are you doing this weekend?"

"Tucker and Sam and I are planning a movie night at my house," Danny said.

"Want to come?" Sam interjected, elbowing Danny so he wouldn't say anything.

**no chains to unlock, so free to do what he wants**

**he's into what he's got**

**he loves me, he loves you not**

**no matter what you do, he's never gunna be with you**

**he's into what he's got**

**he loves me, he loves you not**

Danny couldn't help staring at Sam. He couldn't believe she had just invited _Paulina_ to his house. He finally turned away from her, still stunned. Sam and Paulina were now talking back and forth, and Danny felt forgotten. He nudged Sam's leg with his, inwardly laughing when she stuttered for a moment, blushing a little. He suppressed a smile, his leg nudging hers again. She looked at him, but he just looked back with an innocent look. Sam glared at the boy beside her when he finally turned away from her to talk to Paulina. Was he flirting wit her? Because if he was, two could play at that game. She already had a plan as lunch ended, and she and Danny headed to class.

After school and a long explanation to the help about her disappearing act, Sam raided her closet. She tossed aside all the pink her mom had snuck in and set possible outfit pieces on her bed. Once her closet was empty, Sam got to work. Her normal black plaid skirt and black baby tee were replaced with black hip huggers with green stitching and a lavender top. The shirt barely grazed her navel and showed off a lot more skin than she was used to.

Sam stared at herself in the mirror. "For Danny," she reminded herself, her eyes glowering as she thought about what Paulina might be trying to suck him in with. She growled and grabbed a jacket then began the walk to Danny's.

Paulina was happy to note that she had arrived before Sam. She was sitting on the couch trying to engage Danny in a conversation before the little goth loser got there. The failing conversation was interrupted by a knock on the door. Danny nearly flew over so he could answer it.

"Hey, Sa—Wow!" was all Danny could say.

"Hi, and wow to you too." Sam had to push the stunned halfa aside to walk in, and Tucker and Paulina found out why Danny was gaping.

Tucker had no other way to describe Sam: she was gorgeous. Paulina was pretty and pink, but Sam was hot and daring. Her whole wardrobe screamed, "This bad girl's too hot for you." Paulina couldn't help scowling. That goth girl could really make herself noticed when she wanted to. Sam took off her jacket, and Danny nearly ran into a wall because he was literally too busy checking her out.

"Uh, movies, right," Danny said, making his way over to the TV and starting the first one.

**you're the kind of girl that's always up for do-or-dare**

**only want him just because he's there**

**always looking for a new ride**

**the grass is greener on the other side**

**you're the kind of girl who's not used to hearing no**

**all your lovers try to take you where you wanna go**

**doesn't matter how hard you try**

**you're never gunna get with my guy**

Danny snuck another glance at Sam. She was engrossed in the movie, too busy to notice their legs were touching again. Paulina was painting and filing her nails; there weren't really her kind of movies, but Sam liked them. About halfway through the movie, Sam had fallen asleep with her head on a pillow in Danny's lap.

The halfa had been blushing at first, but now he was just smiling and running his hand through her hair every once in a while. Paulina was scowling because she knew the goth girl wasn't really asleep. Sam had totally grinned at her before closing her eyes and falling "asleep." Paulina could _not_ lose this dare. It wasn't because she liked Danny; Sam just couldn't have him. This was war to the extreme.

Sam had almost literally dosed off before she heard Paulina leave and Danny tell Tucker that he was going to fly her home. Before she knew it, Danny was carrying her bridal style and flying her home. He set her on the bed and gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead before leaving once more. Sam immediately leapt out of bed and to the window to watch him fly away. She smiled and sat down by her window. Now, if only he would ask her out so she could win the dare.

**no chains to unlock, so free to do what he wants**

**he's into what he's got**

**he loves me, he loves you not**

**no matter what you do, he's never gunna be with you**

**he's into what he's got**

**he loves me, he loves you not**

Paulina stomped through the hall. The traffic parted for her, nearly feeling the fire in her eyes. She walked right up to Sam and would have slapped her if there weren't so many witnesses.

"I saw you," the popular girl hissed.

"Yeah, we were all at Danny's for a movie right, remember?" Sam said, pulling her books out of her locker.

"I mean with Danny Phantom." Paulina grabbed her arm. "You don't really like Fenton. You're after Phantom."

Sam burst out laughing. "Oh, no, you caught me."

"What's up?" Danny asked, walking up.

"Sam doesn't like you, Danny. She's just after your phantom friend," Paulina blurted out.

Danny looked over at Sam who shrugged and rolled her eyes. "I think Sam would've told me if she was just interested in Phantom." He winked at the goth girl with glowing green eyes.

Sam blushed, but Danny didn't notice as he turned back to Paulina. "But I saw him! He flew her home!"

"Phantom and I are really close. We're almost brothers," Danny said. Sam stifled a laugh, making Danny look at her with a smirk. "Sam was asleep so I asked Phantom for a favor."

"You know Danny Phantom that well?" Paulina asked, nearly swooning.

"Okay, time to go." Danny grabbed Sam's arm and began to drag her away.

Sam looked back at Paulina and childishly stuck her tongue out at the preppy girl before walking away with Danny.

**give it your all girl, give it all you got**

**you can take a chance, and take your best shot**

**say what you want girl, do what you do**

**he's never gunna, gunna make it with you**

Danny felt like the luckiest guy at school. Sam and Paulina had been glaring at each other all day because of him. He knew Paulina wasn't really interested; she just wanted to win the dare. He smiled, leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed over his chest. Yeah, he knew about the dare. Paulina had hired Tucker as her informant; of course he knew about the dare. She didn't have anything to worry about though. It would all work out fine. Today at lunch it would all come together.

He smiled at Paulina before turning to look at Sam. She really _did_ look good in her new outfit. Unfortunately, she got a lot more looks and catcalls too. Danny had more than once had to restrain himself from punching a kid for checking out Sam. She seemed to like the extra attention, but she might just be trying to make him jealous. It was definitely working; he could feel it rising up in him as another boy started staring at her. He hated watching from the outside.

**you can pout your cherry lips**

**try to tempt him with a sweet kiss**

**you can flirt your pretty eyes**

**he ain't got his hands tied**

Danny and Sam entered the cafeteria together but were quickly joined by Paulina. "Hey, Danny," the girl said.

"Hey," Danny mumbled distractedly. Sam had already gone to join Tucker at their usual table.

"So, I was wondering if you wanted to do something Friday." Paulina followed him as he walked over to the table.

"What? Like a date?" Danny asked, not realizing he was repeating a conversation that had already happened when Kitty overshadowed the Spanish Princess.

Paulina smiled. "Not _like_ a date. _A_ date."

"Wow, déjà vu," Tucker muttered then let out a yelp when Sam kicked him hard in the shin.

"Sorry, I have plans," Danny said.

"You do?" Paulina and Sam asked together.

"Yeah, or at least I will…I hope." Danny glanced at Sam who looked back at him, confused.

"Well, let me know if your plans don't work out," Paulina said before kissing him on the cheek and walking away, her hips swaying with every step.

"Wow, Paulina just kissed _you_," Tucker said as Danny sat down.

He wiped off his cheek, and from the look on his face, you would have thought he would've rather enjoyed a snakebite. "Ick…"

"Ick?" Sam repeated, eyebrows raised. "Tuck', I think there's something wrong with Danny?"

"More like someone."

"Huh?" Sam turned to the teen sitting beside her. Danny was staring at her with a goofy, dreamy look on his face. "Um, Danny?"

He jumped. "Heh, um… I better get to class." He ran off, nearly running through a wall.

no chains to unlock, so free to do what he wants 

**he's into what he's got**

**he loves me, he loves you not**

**no matter what you do, he's never gunna be with you**

**he's into what he's got**

**he loves me, he loves you not**

Okay, so things hadn't quite gone according to plan at lunch. Danny wasn't worried. He'd tell her after school. Tucker had already made up some lame excuse about needing to go to the library so Danny and Sam could walk home together. Danny fiddled with his pencil. The closer he got to asking Sam out, the more nervous he got. He went back to doodling, smiling in his goofy, dreamy way. The bell rang, and he grabbed his stuff, running out of the room. He waved to Sam as he ran down the hall to meet her.

"Hey, Sam, I've got something to talk to you about," he said, nervously scuffing his shoe on the ground.

"Can we talk on the way home? Tucker told me he had something to finish up in the library."

"Sure." He opened the door for her, nearly melting when she flashed him a smile in thanks. He waited before they were a little ways away from the school before beginning. "So…" He rubbed the back of his neck nervously, trying to think of where to begin.

"So…" the goth girl echoed. She looked up at him, waiting patiently.

"Well, um, I told Paulina I had plans this Friday because I was hoping we…" He swallowed. "I was hoping we could do something together," he finished quickly, stuffing his hands in his pockets and looking at the ground.

"With Tucker? Or do you mean…" She stopped when Danny glanced at her with a pained look. "Oh." She knew she was blushing and reprimanded herself for it. Goths didn't blush. "You mean a date."

He nodded, looking up at her with hope in his clear blue eyes. "You'd win the dare."

She stared at him. "What? You knew about that?"

Danny's eyes widened when he realized his slip and smiled weakly. "Um…heh…" He laughed nervously. "Paulina _did_ hire Tucker as her informant. It wasn't my fault." He cowered a little, expecting a blow. "Don't hurt me."

She smiled at him, shaking her head. "I'm not going to hurt you," she said. "I'm going to kiss you." And she did just that.

**no chains to unlock, so free to do what he wants**

**he's into what he's got**

**he loves me, he loves you not**

**no matter what you do, he's never gunna be with you**

**he's into what he's got**

**he loves me, he loves you not**


	8. Perfect Day

**Reviews: **Galateagirl

**Disclaimer: I don't own DP or "Perfect Day" by Hoku.**

**A quick note from the author: This is a cute little story I thought of immediately after I saw this song.

* * *

**

**They Tell Me to Act My Age**

She stood at the stove, her long raven hair pulled back in a ponytail and her lilac eyes watching the food cook in front of her. She had been strictly an Ultra-recyclo vegetarian for most of her life, but her diet had changed a little now that she was older. She hummed a happy little song as she cooked, giggling to herself as she thought about how ridiculous she must look in her gothic bed attire and humming a song that didn't deal with death and destruction.

"Why are you so happy?" a sleepy, masculine voice mumbled. His raven hair was messy, and his blue eyes looked more like they'd prefer to close than remain open.

She giggled and kissed him on the nose. "Morning, Danny."

"Sam, we've been married for almost two years, and I've never seen you so outwardly excited," he said. "Well, except maybe our wedding day," he added as an after thought.

"It's just a really happy day today," she replied, going back to cooking breakfast, "and I know something you don't know," she added in a singsong voice.

He groaned, taking the plate she held out to him. "And you're not going to tell me what it is, are you?"

She just gave him a bright smile before saying, "Sit down and eat before you're late again."

**sun's up, it's a little after twelve**

**make breakfast for myself**

**leave the work for someone else**

**people say, they say that it's just a phase**

**they tell me to act my age, well i am**

**on this perfect day**

**nothing's standing in my way**

**on this perfect day**

**where nothing can go wrong**

**it's the perfect day**

**tomorrow's gunna come to soon**

**i could stay forever as i am**

**on this perfect day**

Danny rapped his pencil on his desk, his blue eyes clouded with thought. He tried to think of someone, anyone, that Sam might tell this secret to and was just about to give up when he snapped his fingers.

"Tucker and Valerie!" he muttered, grabbing the phone and dialing their number.

Someone answered on the third ring. "Hello?"

"Hey, Tuck', it's Danny."

"Oh, hey Danny. What's up? Sam kick you out already?"

"Hilarious," Danny muttered. "If I recall, _you_ were the one calling _me_ to borrow the living room when you forgot your anniversary."

"Okay, let's not go there… What'd you call about?"

"Sam's been acting funny. Do you know anything about it?"

"What do you mean 'funny?' I mean, this is Sam we're talking about. She's always had a few screws loose."

Danny rolled his eyes. "She's not acting _normal_ funny. She's acting _weird_ funny. She was cooking breakfast this morning and humming a happy song. Emphasis on _happy_."

"Now, that is funny for Sam. Well, nothing comes to mind. Let me ask Valerie." The line was silent for a minute before Tucker came back and said, "Valerie remembers Sam doing the same thing on your wedding day. Maybe she's planning a divorce now," he joked, "or she could be pregnant."

"Tuck', I'm going to say this to you as a friend: act your age, not your shoe size."

"Hey, I'm not acting like a twelve-year-old."

Danny shook his head. "Thanks anyway. I think I'll try her mom next."

"I'd suggest your mom. Mrs. Manson will probably just think aliens switched her daughter's brain."

Danny laughed. "Thanks. I'll keep that in mind."

**sun's down, a little after ten**

**i pick up all my friends**

**in my mercedes benz**

**wake up, don't tell me it's just a dream**

'**cause when i've had enough you'll hear me say**

**now don't you try to rain on my**

**perfect day**

**nothing's standing in my way**

**on this perfect day**

**where nothing can go wrong**

**it's the perfect day**

**tomorrow's gunna come to soon**

**i could stay forever as i am**

**on this perfect day**

Sam was lying on the couch flipping through magazines when Danny came home. She leapt up and immediately tried to hide the paper behind her back.

"What's that?" he asked.

"Nothing." She smiled innocently at him.

He gave her a look. "I'm not as dense as I was in high school." He took a step closer. "Does it have something to do with your secret?"

"Maybe…" Her smile widened as he slowly edged closer before she finally zipped away into the other room.

He gave chase, trying to grab for the magazine. "Give it to me!"

"Never!" she laughed, ducking behind a corner.

He had chased her through every room in the house before finally managing to corner her in the kitchen. He walked up slowly, backing her up further against the dishwasher.

"Give me the magazine," he said.

She smiled, her eyes bright from the exercise. "Nope." Then she pulled open the dishwasher, stuffed the magazine inside, and turned the machine on. "Now you'll never know," she teased in the same singsong voice from the morning.

"Samantha Fenton, don't make me tickle it out of you," he whispered threateningly, a small smile curving at his lips.

"Hmm…" She leaned forward, her face inches from his. "Catch me if you can, Daniel Fenton," she whispered before taking off into their room.

He ran after her, cheating with his ghost powers only once to tackle her on the bed. He straddled her waist and held her hands above her head with one hand while keeping the other free to tickle. "Tell me."

"No."

He began to tickle her, and she writhed beneath him, giggling. "Tell me, Sam."

"No!" she cried. His tickling increased. "All right! All right!" He ceased his attack but kept her pinned. "You really want to know?" she whispered, smiling at him.

"Yes," he said, kissing her lightly on the lips.

"Okay," she chirped. "I'm pregnant."

**i'm in the race, but i already won**

**and getting there can be half the fun**

**so don't stop me till i'm good and done**

**don't you try to rain on my perfect day**

**on this perfect day**

**nothing's standing in my way**

**on this perfect day**

**where nothing can go wrong**

**it's the perfect day**

**tomorrow's gunna come to soon**

**i could stay forever as i am**

**on this perfect day**


	9. Because of You

**Reviews: None**

**Disclaimer: I don't own DP or "Because of You" by Kelly Clarkson.**

**A quick note from the author: This idea came from a friend of mine, Samantha-Girl Scout. You rock, Sam! ;)

* * *

**

**I've Learned the Hard Way**

She couldn't stop the tears that fell from her lilac eyes as she held tightly to the woman that had given her life and cared so much about her. It wasn't supposed to be this way. Her mother wasn't supposed to leave her when she needed her the most. She let the servant pull her away from her mother's cold body, and she ran up to her room and slammed the door. She threw herself onto the bed, sobbing uncontrollably. It wasn't fair.

She attempted to control her sobs as her phone rang. "H-hello?" Her voice trembled no matter how much she tried to stop it.

"Sam, what's wrong?" Danny's concerned voice greeted her. "You didn't come to school today, and you sound like you've been crying."

"M-my mom died," she choked out.

"But I thought the doctor said she was doing so much better," he said softly.

"Well, he was wrong because she's dead now." She began to cry again, her hands shaking.

"Do you want me to come over?" he offered gently.

She nodded before realizing he couldn't see it. "Mmhmm," she managed.

"I'll be there in five minutes, okay?" Stay there."

They said their goodbyes then Sam did as he'd asked, remaining sitting on her bed as she cried. She jumped as a hand touched her shoulder and turned to gaze into the sad, compassionate blue eyes of her best friend. She broke down as he wrapped his around her, hugging her tightly.

"I'm so sorry, Sam," he whispered as she buried her face in his shoulder. "I'm so sorry."

**i will not make the same mistakes that you did**

**i will not let myself**

**cause my heart so much misery**

**i will not break the way you did**

**you fell so hard**

**i've learned the hard way**

**to never let it get that far**

She wore pink to the funeral. She received a lot of odd looks from her family, but she wore it in her mother's honor. Danny came with her, and even Tucker showed up. But Danny stayed by her side, holding her hand and giving her a shoulder to cry on when she broke down. After the ceremony, the family was invited to the mansion. Forced to perform the duty of greeting each person, Danny waited for her in one of the living rooms, but she never came for him.

Mr. Manson walked up to the halfa. "Daniel, have you seen Samantha?" Danny shook his head. "Can you find her, please? Her family would like to see her."

The young man nodded wordlessly and headed upstairs, walking into her room. "Sam?"

He heard muffled sobs coming from the closet and pushed the clothes aside. She sat with her knees pulled up to her chest, her arms wrapped around them. She looked up, blinking in the light. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying, tears still trailing down her cheeks. Danny moved the clothes farther aside and sat beside her, hugging her as she leaned her head on his shoulder. Mr. Manson would have to find her himself; Danny wasn't going to bring her down there when she wanted to be somewhere where she could cry.

**because of you**

**i never stray too far from the sidewalk**

**because of you**

**i learned to play on the safe side so i don't get hurt**

**because of you**

**i find it hard to trust not only me, but everyone around me**

**because of you**

**i am afraid**

The school offered a mourning period to Sam, but she refused it. The last thing she needed was the pity of her classmates. Danny walked to her house every morning so she didn't have to walk to school alone. She loved how much he cared for her; she loved how her small hand fit so perfectly in his own and how he entwined their fingers as if it was a silent promise that he'd always protect her.

Tucker refrained from teasing for Sam's sake, but if they had thought the school believed they were lovebirds before, the idea was confirmed in their classmates' minds now. Though Mr. Lancer was a stickler for school rules, he made an exception for Danny and Sam. It was sort of his own rendition of the grief period for the young goth girl, and though he didn't know Danny and Sam personally, he knew that during this trying time that Danny was Sam's strength. Often on his patrols of campus, he would find the couple sitting on the roof, their legs dangling over the edge. How they got there, Lancer never questioned. It was enough for him to know that Sam found comfort somewhere.

**i lose my way**

**and it's not too long before you point it out**

**i cannot cry**

**because i know that's weakness in your eyes**

**i'm forced to fake**

**a smile, a laugh everyday of my life**

**my heart can't possibly break**

**when it wasn't even whole to start with**

Sam thanked Danny for walking her home before entering the mansion. Today had been yet another hard day at school. Her mom had been dead for a week already, and she and her dad hadn't spoken since. In fact, she hadn't seen her dad since the funeral. She walked up to her room, closing the door behind her and kicking off her shoes. She sat at her window, her head resting on her arms crossed on the windowsill. She must have dosed off by the window because when her door slammed open, she was abruptly jarred awake. Mr. Manson stood swaying in the doorway.

"Dad." At first she was relieved to see him, but then she saw the bottle of beer in his hand. "Dad, what's wrong?" She stood slowly as he stumbled into her room.

"You killed her, you rebellious little bitch," he snarled.

"W-what?" she stepped back as he stumbled forward. Her heart thumped in her chest as she felt her back press against the wall. "D-dad, what are you doing?"

"Shut up!" He rose his hand and slapped her hard across the face.

She cried out, falling to the floor with one hand on her stinging cheek. She looked up at him, tears stinging her eyes. "What is wrong with you?" she yelled. "You can't just hit me like this."

He wrenched her up by her arm, snarling. "Watch me. Tell anyone, and I'll kill you."

**because of you**

**i never stray too far from the sidewalk**

**because of you**

**i learned to play on the safe side so i don't get hurt**

**because of you**

**i find it hard to trust not only me, but everyone around me**

**because of you**

**i am afraid**

Danny was surprised when the butler answered the door the next morning. "Where's Sam?" he asked.

"Miss Manson is still getting dressed," the butler replied, in his formal monotone.

Sam came running down the stairs just then, practically launching herself into Danny's arms. She buried her face in his chest as she hugged him tightly. He was used to her emotional instability, but this was something else entirely. She refused to talk about it though, changing the subject when he asked.

"Can we ditch school and go to the park?" she asked, finally raising her head to look up at him. "Please?" she pleaded when he hesitated. "I don't want to go to school today, and I don't want to stay here."

"All right," he relented, "I'll take you to the park."

Once they were sure the butler had returned in side, Danny flew them to the park. They sat in one of the trees just watching the clouds float by.

"You'll always protect me, won't you, Danny?" Sam whispered, setting her head on his shoulder.

Danny put his arms around her almost possessively. "Of course I would," he whispered back. She winced as his hand brushed against the bruise on her arm. "Sam? What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I probably just walked into a door."

She wouldn't say more, and he didn't ask. The fear in her voice was enough to tell him that something else was wrong.

**i watched you die**

**i heard you cry every night in your sleep**

**i was so young**

**you should have known better than to lean on me**

**you never thought of anyone else**

**you just saw your pain**

**and now i cry in the middle of the night**

**for the same damn thing**

Danny slipped in through her window to check in on her that night, but she wasn't there. He heard her scream from downstairs and flew down invisibly. He wasn't expecting what he saw. Mr. Manson was towering over a cowering Sam who was clutching something to her chest.

"Your mother never liked that boy, and I don't like him either! Stop seeing him!" Mr. Manson yelled, raising his hand to slap her as Sam refused.

Danny flew down and lifted her up. Mr. Manson blinked, staring at the empty space while Danny held a trembling Sam protectively in his arms. Her father whirled around and caught sight of the two figures floating near the ceiling. Danny's glowing eyes were flashing red with fury. Neither male spoke then Danny flew off with Sam in his arms. She didn't speak until he had reached his house and he'd set her on his bed.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," she whispered.

"Oh, Sam," he whispered back, hugging her tightly. "I'm scared for you. Why didn't you tell me?"

"I…I was afraid." She looked down at the object she still held tightly. "He said he'd kill you if I told."

Danny took the picture frame from her. It was his favorite picture of the two of them. Tucker had taken it at the dance. He looked back up at her. "He's not going to hurt me, and he won't touch you ever again."

**because of you**

**i never stray too far from the sidewalk**

**because of you**

**i learned to play on the safe side so i don't get hurt**

**because of you**

**i try my hardest just to forget everything**

**because of you**

**i don't know how to let anyone else in**

**because of you**

**i'm ashamed of my life because it's empty**

**because of you**

**i am afraid**

Sam had been battling her dad in court for almost six months now. The Fentons had graciously opened their house to her now that Jazz was gone for college, and she and Danny were dating now. At eighteen, she was no longer under her father's custody, but he refused to pay for the mental, physical, and emotional damage his abuse had caused. He'd gone to prison twice already, one for abusing her and the second for attempted murder on Danny's life.

Danny had thankfully survived unscathed with barely a scratch on his arm from the knife Mr. Manson had threatened him with. He had almost revealed his secret while attempting to fight the man off. The night before their last day in court, Sam woke with another nightmare. She left Jazz's empty room and slipped into Danny's room, standing beside his bed. He scooted over and held up the covers so she could climb into bed with him, cuddling close to his warm body. He wrapped his arms tightly around her as she cuddled close to him.

"I just want it to be over," she whispered. "I want him locked up forever."

"It _will_ be over, and even if they don't lock him up forever, you have me," he whispered back. "I'm never going to let anyone hurt you, Sammy?"

"Promise?" she whispered, feeling like she was five years old again.

She smiled as he laughed softly, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. "Promise," he answered.

**because of you**

**because of you**


	10. Tearin Up My Heart

**Reviews:** Galateagirl, Samantha-Girl Scout.

**Disclaimer: Don't own nuttin'.**

**A quick note from the author: I'm thinking about doing a companion to Fallen based on either Millenium by BSB or No Strings Attached by Nsync or Revelation by 98 Degrees. Which do you guys think I should do? Or should I do all of them?

* * *

**

**Why We Can't Be Lovers**

I, Samantha, Elizabeth Manson, vow to give this letter to Daniel Jack Fenton if he should ever decide to ask me out.

_Dear, Danny,_

_Wow, you finally realized that I love you, and now you want to go out with me. You probably had help. Tucker told you, didn't he? Yeah, Tucker knows. Almost everyone knew even though I tried to hide it. Well, I'm sorry, but I'm saying NO. Don't get me wrong Danny. I love you so much it hurts when I'm with you and when I'm without you. Why do you think I'm always jealous when you go after Paulina?_

_I love you. I love your goofy klutziness. I love your messy black hair. I love your adorable smile and your gorgeous blue eyes. I love how your such a klutz, and I love how you try to be such a tough guy and protect me all the time. I don't just love your Danny Fenton side though. I love the Danny Phantom part of you too. But I don't love the two of you separated. If I had to choose between a bed sheet wearer and a mullet, I'd rather date Tucker (ew)._

_You're always trying to save the world, but the thing is you are just one person, Danny. Even with your ghost powers, you could never save the world, but you still try. That's what I love about you, Danny. You don't give up when it matters most. That's why I know that even though I've said now, you'll fight for me. So, fight for me, Danny! Don't take no for an answer. Who cares what I wrote for why we can't be together? If you love me, you'll fight for me._

_Love,_

_Sam_

I, Samantha Elizabeth Manson, will never be able to give this letter to Daniel Jack Fenton, the love of my life. If he ever realizes how much I love him, I just wouldn't be able to say no.

* * *

**It's tearing up my heart when I'm with you**

**But when we are apart, I feel it too**

**And no matter what I do, I feel the pain**

**With or without you**

**Baby, I don't understand**

**Just why we can't be lovers**

**Things are getting out of hand**

**Trying too much, but baby, we can't win**

**Let it go**

**If you want me girl, let me know**

**I am down on my knees**

**I can't take it anymore**

**It's tearing up my heart when I'm with you**

**But when we are apart, I feel it too**

**And no matter what I do, I feel the pain**

**With or without you**

**Baby, don't misunderstand**

**What I'm trying to tell you**

**In the corner of my mind**

**Baby it feels like we're running out of time**

**Let it go**

**If you want me girl, let me know**

**I am down on my knees**

**I can't take it anymore**

**It's tearing up my heart when I'm with you**

**But when we are apart, I feel it too**

**And no matter what I do, I feel the pain**

**With or without you**

**And no matter what I do, I feel the pain**

**With or without you**


	11. Echelon

**Reviews: **Nobody is Somebody, Galateagirl, Miss A. LaRosa.

**Disclaimer: Don't own this or that.**

**A quick note from the author: The idea for this song came from my bestest reviewer, Samantha-Girl Scout. She reviews almost every single thing I write.**

**A Moment**

Danny couldn't remember how long he'd been trapped in this swirling yellow-green world. How had Valerie gotten so strong, and where had she gotten that weapon that made it impossible for him to escape the Ghost Zone? He flew around aimlessly, green ectoplasm seeping from a few wounds she'd managed to inflict. If his enemies were to attack him right now, he wouldn't have the strength to fight them off. His eyes widened as he saw Skulker, Ember, the Fright Knight, and Spectra headed his way.

He gulped. "I am so dead."

* * *

"Where is that boy?" Sam muttered, pacing back and forth. 

"He was supposed to meet us here half and hour ago," Tucker said, glancing at his watch.

"Hey, guys," Valerie said, walking up just then. "Why are you two just standing around here?"

"We like it," Sam muttered sarcastically.

"Hey, Val', have you seen any ghosts recently?" Tucker asked.

"Yeah, actually. I finally got the ghost boy and trapped him in the Ghost Zone for good," Valerie replied.

"You did what?" Sam nearly screamed.

**look at the red, red changes in the sky**

**look at the separation in the border line**

**but don't look at everything here inside**

**and be afraid, afraid to speak your mind**

Danny shot a ray at the Fright Knight then cried out as Skulker got him from behind and Ember from the side. Spectra floated nearby, taunting him and draining him with his misery. He gripped his chest, visibly trembling in agony. He didn't know how long he'd stay in ghost form, but as long as he was, he would fight. He fired another ray at the knight and threw an ectoplasmic strengthened punch at the rock star. Skulker hit him again, throwing him back a few feet, and Spectra laughed at him.

"Silly little freak. You're part ghost and part human, but you can't function as either!"

"Stop it!" Danny yelled, feeling more energy drain from him.

* * *

Sam didn't know she could run so fast. Her fear for Danny's life had her adrenalin pumping, and she had almost attacked Valerie. Tucker had stopped her by suggesting she look for Danny. _Danny..._ What would his enemies do to him if they found him?

* * *

"Is there any way for the ghost to escape?" Tucker asked. 

Valerie shrugged. "The guy who sent it to me included a note that said only one person could break the shield. He didn't say who though."

"Oh, I can think of someone," Tucker said, grinning. If she was still getting her weapons from Vlad, the only person that could break the shield would be Sam since Vlad knew Danny secretly liked her and knew neither of the clueless lovebirds would think of that.

**it took a moment before i lost myself in here**

**it took a moment and i could not be found**

**again and again and again and again I see your face in everything**

**it took a moment and the moment could not be found**

Danny could barely stifle a cry as Ember, Skulker, and the Fright Knight hit him again with their combined weaponry. "Let me go," he breathed, eyelids nearly closed. They laughed. "Let…me…GO!" Without trying to, he released his most powerful attack.

He looked around him; they were all unconscious. He closed his eyes, his strength ebbing. A blue ring appeared at his middle before splitting and changing him back to his human form. Too weak to change back, he let himself fall through the swirling atmosphere.

* * *

Sam was glad Danny's parents weren't home. She didn't know how she'd explain her need to go in the Ghost Zone or why she'd returned with Danny. She only hoped Danny was okay. She grabbed the keys to the Specter Speeder then sped into the Ghost Zone. She didn't even know where to start. Where would Danny be? 

"Come on, show yourself," she mumbled. "Where are you, Danny?"

**what's with the fascination wit the echelon**

**what's with the constant questions that you have this time**

**what's with this circumstantial consequence**

**find oversight before this night will ever rise again**

**it's all you've got inside your head, better get up and leave instead**

Danny let out a yelp as his bruised and bloodied body dropped onto one of the many floating islands in the Ghost Zone. He struggled to remain conscious, but the little strength he had slipped from his grasp. Darkness overcame him, and hope of ever escaping was lost.

* * *

Tucker was waiting for them to return. He didn't know what condition Danny would be in, but if any of his enemies had found him, it wouldn't be pretty. He just hoped he was right that Sam was the only one that could break the shield. If not, well…

* * *

Sam slammed on the breaks. A figure was being reported on the radar. Beneath her was one of the many floating islands, and lying on it was… She gasped then brought the speeder down onto the island. She threw the door open and ran to his side. She knelt beside him, brushing his hair from his face. 

"Danny," she whispered, her eyes scanning his injuries before returning to his face. "Danny, wake up."

**it took a moment before i lost myself in here**

**it took a moment and i could not be found**

**again and again and again and again I see your face in everything**

**it took a moment and the moment could not be found**

Danny weakly opened his eyes. What was he doing in the Specter Speeder? He groaned, gripping his side tightly. The figure in the front seat ran to his side.

"Danny," she whispered.

"S-sam?" He coughed, rolling onto is side and weakly pushing himself up. "Wh-what are you doing here?"

"Careful," she warned, helping him to his feet and putting his arm around her shoulders. "I came to rescue you," she said as he leaned on her while helping him into the other seat.

"But how are we going to get out of here?" he mumbled weakly, his head falling back as he closed his eyes. "There's a shield…"

"There better not be," Sam muttered, "or I'll kill her."

But Danny didn't hear her as he slipped out of consciousness once more.

Sam floored it as she headed back to the Fenton Portal. She was glad she'd asked her parents for that huge med kit. She could just send Tucker for it and patch him up until his parents got home. They'd have to think of something to explain why he was so beat up.

**to find ourselves lost here within we need reasons why**

**so we take this bridge with the others that will thrive in the great divide**

**look at the red, red changes in the sky**

**again and again and again and again i see your face in everything**

**again and again and again and again i see your face in everything**

Tucker grinned as the Specter Speeder came to a halt inside the lab wit both his friends inside. "Knew it would work!"

Sam leapt out and tossed him her keys. "Go to my house and get the med kit from my closet."

"Um…" He looked at the keys then back at Sam who had carefully begun to drag Danny out.

"Go!" she yelled, gently laying their unconscious friend on the floor.

Tucker yelped then ran off. Danny would be safe with her for now.

Sam made Danny as comfortable as possible while she waited for Tucker. His wounds didn't look too bad. She guessed he just needed rest; she looked up as Tucker entered with the kit.

"Is he okay?" Tucker asked, kneeling on the other side of their friend.

"He'll be fine. He'll just need to rest after we patch him up," she mumbled distractedly as she opened the case and started pulling things out.

With Tucker's help, she patched Danny up then carried him up to the couch.

"Now we just wait for him to wake up," she said, stepping away from the halfa after ruffling his hair.

"You like him, don't you?" Tucker yelped as her fist connected with his arm. "Ow!"

**it took a moment before i lost myself in here**

**it took a moment and i could not be found**

**again and again and again and again I see your face in everything**

**it took a moment and the moment could not be found**

Danny woke feeling ten times better, and that was saying a lot. "I'm alive," he groaned, rubbing his eyes.

"Well, half of you is," a teasing voice replied.

He smiled. "Hey, Sam." He looked around him. "How'd you get through the shield?"

She shrugged. "Who cares?" She sat beside him. "Feeling better?"

He nodded, closing his eyes and resting his head in her lap. "Thanks for coming for me."

She smiled, ruffling his hair. "What are friends for?"


	12. Everything to Me

**Thanks for the reviews: **Nobody is Somebody.

**Disclaimer: I don't own nutin.**

**A quick note: Just so you all know, I'm open to song suggestions. I'm sure I've mentioned this a few times now, and I even put it in the summary because I've kind of run dry on songs. If you can suggest some and maybe even send the lyrics along, I will give cookies. :D**

**This story is based on "Everything to Me" by Brooke Hogan.

* * *

**

**I'm Everything You Want**

Sam leaned against her locker, scowling as the Hispanic princess waved at Danny as he, am, and Tucker headed out the school doors. The raven-haired teen's countenance immediately lightened as he waved back. Sam muttered something about typical males, and Tucker just laughed.

"That really got Sam's blood boiling," the techno geek commented.

"Oh, shut-up, Tuck'," Sam growled, pushing the door open harder than she needed to.

The door nearly slammed back on her, but Danny grabbed her wrist and made her intangible. The door went straight through her, and Tucker pushed it back open. "You should be careful, Sam," Danny said. "That probably would've hurt."

"Like you care with Paulina around," Sam muttered.

"What?" Danny asked, looking back at her.

"Thanks. I was just thanking you for saving me from looking more like a klutz than you." She plastered on a fake smile.

Danny looked at her curiously then shook his head. "Whatever. Just be careful next time."

"Man, you both are so clueless," Tucker said as Sam opened the door to her mansion.

"Shut-up, Tucker!" they both shouted. They glanced at each other then looked away, blushing.

Tucker just smirked. "Anyway, enjoy your study group."

"You were supposed to study with us," Sam reminded him.

"Something came up." Tucker headed toward his house. "See you guys tomorrow."

**You want to go**

**And as you open up the door**

**You change your mind**

**I'm not something to leave behind**

**You'll never know**

**All these things I feel inside**

**I want to show you**

**There's nothing out there to find**

Sam slammed the Spanish book shut. "I'm done." She glanced over at the boy beside her and rolled her eyes. "Would you look at that: Paulina makes bookmarks."

Danny hastily shut his own book. "I found it on the floor at school!"

She looked heavenward. "More like your bedroom floor."

"I do not have pictures of Paulina in my bedroom!"

She gave him a look. "The pack of your door. In your closet. On your computer. The so-called 'password' of Paulina Fenton." She shook her head. "I don't know which is sadder: your obsession over that air-head or the fact that she's actually starting to notice you."

"What do you have against Paulina, anyway?" Danny demanded.

She blinked then crossed her arms. "She's a shallow bitch that makes fun of anyone who doesn't conform to her ways."

"You do the same thing."

"Excuse me?"

"If they're not like you, you make fun of them just like her."

"Get out," she hissed.

"What?"

"Get out!" She leapt up. "I can't believe you compared me to Paulina! Get out! Go get a date with your brainless prep. See if I care!"

"Fine, maybe I will!" He grabbed his backpack then turned back just as he opened the door. "Sam…"

"Get out," she growled, looking away from her.

Danny sighed then walked out, closing the door behind him. Sam's legs went weak beneath her, and she let herself sink to the ground, letting the tears overcome her. Danny stood on the steps, hesitating. Then he stepped down and headed for home.

**Oh, baby, I want to make you see**

**There's nothing more to fear**

'**Cause everything's right here**

**I'm everything you want**

**I'm everything you need**

**And every little part of you**

**Is a part of me**

**I'm everything you know**

**I'm everywhere you go**

**And I hope that you see**

**That you're everything to me**

**Everything to me**

Sam and Danny still talked to each other, but Tucker noticed it was more like they were forcing themselves to be friends instead of actually being friends. Sam still helped at ghost fights and still invited them over, but Danny declined more often than attended. Any time Tucker tried to ask about the obvious problem when he was alone with either of them, they'd deny there was any problem.

"You guys don't even talk to each other!" Tucker would say.

And they'd reply, "We talk!"

If what they were doing was talking, the world would be miming. Tucker got them to warm up a little, reminding them of silly things they'd done including fake-out make-outs. Tucker almost had them back to normal one lunch, but then Paulina showed up.

"Hey, Danny," the diva said.

Tucker slapped a hand to his face as all Danny's attention immediately averted to Paulina. Sam's hand was dangerously tight on her Coke can. Tucker swore Danny was practically panting as he and Paulina talked.

"Anyway, I was thinking if you weren't doing anything tonight, we could go see a movie," Paulina said, smiling sweetly.

"Actually—" Tucker began but didn't get to finish as Sam kicked him beneath the table.

"Danny's free," Sam said quickly, ignoring Tucker's howl of pain. She turned to glare at the love sick boy beside her. "He's definitely free."

Then she stood and walked away, breaking Danny from his trance. What exactly was that supposed to mean?

**Whisper to me, I hang on every word you say**

**Don't tell me no**

**As you turn and walk away**

**Don't shut me out**

**I'm much stronger than you know**

**But you're on your way**

**You'll be back with me someday**

Danny didn't see Sam for the rest of the day, and he was still kind of shocked by her words. What had she meant when she said he was definitely free? He'd tried asking Tucker, but the techno geek had shaken his head.

"I've helped enough. You'll have to figure this one out on your own, Clueless One," he had said. "If your date goes well with Paulina, you might want to ask Sam to give back the ring."

Danny didn't even know what ring Tucker was talking about. He'd never given Sam a ring and told his friend so. Tucker had shaken his head once more, muttering something about airheads and something being contagious. Why did everyone act like he was completely dense? He was still mulling over Sam's odd behavior and Tucker's "hints" on his date with Paulina.

"I can't stand that goth girl you hang out with," Paulina said.

Danny looked up, abruptly jerked from his thoughts at the mention of Sam. "What?"

"She thinks she owns you or something." Paulina rolled her eyes. "It's not like you guys are a thing." She laughed. "Ew, imagine if you _did_ date Sam!"

"Okay, let's change the subject…"

"Oh, come on, Danny," the latino girl purred. "You know it's true. She could be so popular if she tried. I can't believe she doesn't want to be like me."

"A shallow bitch that makes fun of anyone who doesn't conform to her ways?" Danny muttered sarcastically, using Sam's description of her word for word.

"Excuse me?" Paulina demanded, thoroughly insulted.

"This date's over." He stood and walked away.

**Oh, baby, I want to make you see**

**There's nothing more to fear**

'**Cause everything's right here**

**I'm everything you want**

**I'm everything you need**

**And every little part of you**

**Is a part of me**

**I'm everything you know**

**I'm everywhere you go**

**And I hope that you see**

**That you're everything to me**

**Everything to me**

Danny looked everywhere for Sam. She wasn't at home. She wasn't with Tucker. He tried her favorite cafes, bookstores, and clothing shops. He left almost ten messages on her cell, begging her to pick up the phone. He was starting to worry as it grew later and colder and was just deciding to go ghost and fly over the town when realization hit him. He ran toward the park; he could only hope he was right.

Why was he so anxious to find her? Danny wasn't sure if he could answer that question; it was dangerous ground. Everyone said that dating your best friend was risky because if it didn't work out, things could never go back the way they were. Danny didn't care though. Sam was his best friend, comforter, and protector. This would just be a new outlook on their friendship, and if things didn't work out, he knew they could patch their friendship back together.

Once reaching the park, he turned toward a familiar spot where a fake-out make-out had taken place.

**I understand your confusion**

**In denial, disillusioned**

**But I won't wait too long**

**And I just might move on**

**I'm buried by your indecision**

**Digging for the life I'm missing**

**Just look inside and I hope you see there's room for me**

Sam had her knees pulled up to her chest, her arms wrapped around them as tears trailed down her cheeks. She glanced at the ring she held in her hand. She still didn't understand the inscription, but Danny had asked her to hang on to it so she would. Just like she was hanging on to their broken friendship. She shivered and pulled her knees closer as a cold wind blew by. She'd have to go home soon.

She nearly jumped as something warm slipped around her shoulders; she recognized it as Danny's jacket. The raven haired teen sat beside her, smiling sheepishly. She looked away, wiping away her tears. She felt him pull the jacket tighter around her when she shivered again, but this time her shiver wasn't from the cold. Being near him was enough to make her tremble now. She finally turned to him and handed him the ring without a word, looking away once more.

"You still have this?" he asked, staring at the metal band in his hand.

"You told me to hang on to it," she mumbled. "You should probably give it to the girl it belongs to."

"I guess you never read the inscription, huh?"

She looked at him, confused. "What?"

He held the ring out to her. "Read it."

"It says Wes. I read it before."

**Oh, baby, I want to make you see**

**There's nothing more to fear**

'**Cause everything's right here**

**I'm everything you want**

**I'm everything you need**

**And every little part of you**

**Is a part of me**

**I'm everything you know**

**I'm everywhere you go**

**And I hope that you see**

**That you're everything to me**

**Everything to me**

He shook his head, smiling, and pulled her closer. "You read it upside down. Read it now."

She looked up at him curiously before returning her gaze to the ring. Her eyes widened in surprise, and she immediately pulled away from him, embarrassed. "Th-that's my name." She looked up at him as he slipped the ring on her finger, but he didn't speak, still smiling at her. "Danny, I…"

He reached out with his free hand, gently brushing his fingertips over her lips. Her eyelids fluttered close, and she sighed as he pressed his lips to her in a gentle kiss. Her arms snaked around his neck as he wrapped his arms around her waist. The tip of his tongue touched her lips, and she parted them, her own tongue tentatively reaching out to his. He encouraged her, caressing her tongue with his. Her fingers entangled in themselves in his raven hair, one of his hands resting on the back of her neck to keep her close. They broke off the kiss slowly, reluctantly, both of them panting.

"And that's what we call making out," Danny teased, making Sam laugh.

**Oh, baby, I want to make you see**

**There's nothing more to fear**

'**Cause everything's right here**

**I'm everything you want**

**I'm everything you need**

**And every little part of you**

**Is a part of me**

**I'm everything you know**

**I'm everywhere you go**

**And I hope that you see**

**That you're everything to me**

**Everything to me**


	13. Crash and Burn

**Reviews: **Samantha-Girl Scout, Galateagirl.

**Disclaimer: Uh, hello? Duh.**

**A quick note: Okay, I owe this one to Sam because she's been waiting so patiently for me to use "Crash and Burn." :D

* * *

**

**I Can Mend a Broken Heart**

**When you feel all alone**

**And the world has turned it's back on you**

**Give me a moment please to tame your wild, wild heart**

**I know you feel like the walls are closing in on you**

**It's hard to find relief, and people can be so cold**

**When darkness is upon your door, and you feel like you can't take anymore**

**Let me be the one you call**

**If you jump, I'll break your fall**

**Lift you up and fly away with you into the night**

**If you need to fall apart**

**I can mend a broken heart**

**If you need to crash, then crash and burn**

**You're not alone**

She walked down the street, tears falling unchecked from her lilac eyes. She didn't seem to notice or care that her raven hair was soaked from the falling rain. She didn't even know where she was headed. Where could she go? Her home was empty, and her boyfriend… A sob escaped her lips as she thought about him. His name was Mike, and he had dyed blue hair and hazel eyes. He had been perfect at first; the perfect goth guy for a goth girl. Over time, things had changed. It had started about three months ago.

**When you feel all alone**

**And a loyal friend is hard to find**

**You're caught in a one-way street**

**With the monsters in your head**

**When hopes and dreams are far away and**

**You feel like you can't face the day**

**Let me be the one you call**

**If you jump, I'll break your fall**

**Lift you up and fly away with you into the night**

**If you need to fall apart**

**I can mend a broken heart**

**If you need to crash, then crash and burn**

**You're not alone**

She pushed his wandering hands away, ceasing the kisses on his neck. "Mike, stop. I don't want to do this." She straightened her shirt.

"_Why not?" he asked, obviously surprised._

"_I'm not ready for such a big step. We're only seventeen."_

"_Come on, Sammy," he tried, stroking her cheek._

_She pulled away. "What? Don't call me Sammy."_

"_Why not? You let your friend Danny call you that."_

"_It's a private nickname."_

"_Oh, I get it. That's why you hardly ever kiss me, isn't it?"_

"_What are you talking about?"_

"_You're in love with Danny."_

**Because there's always been heartache and pain**

**And when it's over you'll breath again**

**You'll breath again**

She remembered that day well. She had thought she'd moved on from her silly crush on Danny, but different things kept happening. If Mike had thought she barely kissed him before, she never kissed him after that day. Anywhere they went, there was some memory of Danny that she would tell Mike about, most of them funny. The one other time he tried to get her to take their relationship all the way, she had called out Danny's name when he'd been kissing her. That was probably when Mike finally decided to let her go. She was obviously in love with someone else.

**When you feel all alone**

**And the world has turned its back on you**

**Give me a moment please**

**To tame your wild, wild heart**

**Let me be the one you call**

**If you jump, I'll break your fall**

**Lift you up and fly away with you into the night**

**If you need to fall apart**

**I can mend a broken heart**

**If you need to crash, then crash and burn**

**You're not alone**

She walked on through the rain. Mike had been her everything before he accused her of loving Danny. Now, she was hurt and confused. She had changed for Mike, and now she wasn't sure who Sam was anymore. Was she the girl that occasionally changed all her morals for the guy she liked, or was she the girl that the guy she liked knew so well that he didn't ask her to change? She finally raised her eyes from the sidewalk, shivering, and stopped short.

Danny stood in front of her, hands in his jacket pockets. He removed his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders, his eyes telling her how sorry he was for her. He cradled her face in his hands, gently kissing her tears away before returning his gaze to her eyes.

"I can mend a broken heart," he whispered.


	14. I Wanna be Bad

**Reviews: **Galateagirl, Samantha-Girl Scout.

**Disclaimer: Duh**

**A quick note: This isn't a lemon, and I doubt it's a lime. I don't know. I'll let you guys judge what kind of fruit it is.

* * *

**

**You Make It Look So Good**

Tucker and Danny sat at a table alone while they're dates wandered around greeting people they knew, and in Sam's case, entering a battle of wits with those she disliked.

"You know, your girlfriend is really weird," Tucker said to his friend.

Danny laughed. "Oh, really, Mr. Valerie-will-kick-my-butt-if-I-forget-our-anniversary? She practically flipped out when you said you didn't have a gift for her because you were planning to surprise her with it later, and it was only your two-month anniversary."

Tucker's face reddened. "So?"

"Do you know what Sam and I did for our two-month anniversary? Nothing. But we did do something for our one-year."

"Yeah, I noticed the ring Sam was wearing," Tucker muttered, making Danny smirk, "but do you even know when that is, Einstein?"

Danny grinned. "January 13. The date of the first non-fake-out make-out."

Tucker slapped a hand to his face. "I did not need to know that."

**I wanna be bad with you, baby**

**I, I, I wanna be bad with you, baby**

**Do you understand what I need, need**

**From you just let me be the girl**

**To show you, you**

**Everything that you can be**

**Is everything that I can be**

**(I wanna be) my turn**

**Let me let you know that I, I can't**

**Promise that I won't do that**

**So, boy, say the time and place**

'**Cause you make me wanna misbehave**

Tucker glanced at Danny as the music began. As if on cue, Sam appeared from the crowd, beckoning to her boyfriend with a seductive smile. Their techno geek friend rolled his eyes as Danny moved to join her. Sam grabbed his tie and slowly walked backward to the middle of the dance floor. Valerie joined Tucker at the table.

"Why don't we dance like that?" she demanded of him, making him jump.

The couple was moving to the music, Sam's hips swaying seductively and enticing Danny to follow her every move.

"Because we don't," Tucker replied, earning a bop on the head.

"You look like a love-sick puppy," Sam whispered in Danny's ear, her back against his chest as they moved to the music.

"I am a love-sick puppy," he whispered back, catching her hand in his then twirling her out only to bring her in again, this time facing him. "But I'm _your_ love-sick puppy."

She giggled, setting her free hand on his chest while he still held the other in his. "And that's what I love about you."

**I wanna be bad**

**You make it look so good**

**I've got things on my mind**

**I never thought I would**

**I, I wanna be bad**

**You make it feel so good**

**I'm losing all my cool**

**I'm about to break the rules**

**I, I wanna be bad**

**I wanna be bad with you, baby**

**I, I, I wanna be bad with you, baby**

**What's up?**

**Tell me what to do**

**How to be**

**Teach me all your words from A to Z**

**But I don't want your other girl to see**

**That you're messing 'round with me**

**Should I boy**

**Tell you what I got is what you want**

**Tell, tell me, do I turn you on?**

**I don't want no one judging me**

**I wanna be bad**

**You make it look so good**

**I've got things on my mind**

**I never thought I would**

**I, I wanna be bad**

**You make it feel so good**

**I'm losing all my cool**

**I'm about to break the rules**

**I, I wanna be bad**

**I wanna be bad with you, baby**

**I, I, I wanna be bad with you, baby**

"Not because I'm irresistible, charming, and so damn sexy?" he teased, blue eyes alight.

He spun her out again then pulled her in, smirking as she gasped when he gripped her tighter.

"Mm, no. That only adds to what I already have," she whispered. "My cute, klutzy, reluctant hero who would give up everything just for me."

"Maybe not everything…"

"Oh?" She gave him that look that said, "explain or die." "Is there something or someone you won't give up?"

"Definitely a someone," he whispered in her ear as she turned in his arms. "She's got gorgeous black hair and lilac eyes that light up every time she sees me."

She smiled; she blushed a little as Danny spun her out once more then pulled her back in so she faced him. "No one ever said you had to give up me," she said.

"And no one could ever pay me enough," he admitted, leaning forward to seek a kiss, "because you're the only one that makes this feel good."

"Let's make sure it stays that way," she whispered before their lips met in a passionate kiss.

**I wanna be bad with you, baby**

**I wanna be bad with you**

**I wanna be bad with you, baby**

**I, I, I wanna be bad with you, baby**

**I wanna be bad**

**I wanna be bad with you, baby**

**I, I, I wanna be bad**

**You make bad look so good**

**I got things on my mind**

**I never thought I would**

**I wanna be bad**

**You make bad feel so good**

**I'm losing all my cool**

**I'm about to break the rules**

**I wanna be bad**

**You make bad look so good**

**I got things on my mind**

**I never thought I would**

**I, I wanna be bad**

**You make bad feel so good**

**I'm losing all my cool**

**I'm about to break the rules**

**I, I wanna be bad**


	15. What a Girl Wants

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Danny Phantom or "What a girl wants" by Christina Aguilera. I don't even own the idea of a guy suddenly being able to hear women's thoughts. That idea is actually from the movie What Women Want._**

_**A quick note: Notice how they never tell you the actual birthdates of cartoon characters? Anyway, this is my birthday gift to myself. I made Sam's birthday the same as mine: July 5th. This is just a big thing of fluff for those of you that really enjoy fluff.

* * *

**_

**What a Girl Wants**

Danny had been mulling the all too famous question for weeks now: what do girls want? Sam's birthday was only weeks away, and she had decided not to tell him what she wanted. He had to figure it out for himself. Unfortunately, Sam had also paid Tucker not to help as well. Danny tried asking Jazz, but she'd only said he was completely clueless and that this was one thing she could not involve herself in. Now, he was standing in a goth bookstore trying to find something for his friend while other goth teenagers stared at him. He was dressed in his usual baggy blue jeans and white tee shirt with the red oval in the center. He stuck out like a vampire in the sunlight.

"Read that one," Danny muttered, setting a book aside. "She has at least twenty copies of that one last I checked." He set yet another book aside. "Hmm, this one looks okay." He read the summary on the back. "… or not." He growled setting the book back on the shelf. "Why couldn't she just tell me what she wanted?"

"Because its fun to watch the clueless suffer," a female voice said very close to his ear.

The poor halfa yelped, tripping over his own feet, and landed on the floor. "Sam," he whined, looking up at her pitifully as she laughed at him.

"Big baby," she muttered, holding out her hand to help him up.

He took it gratefully, pulling himself back up onto his feet. "Hey, am not with what I face everyday."

She rolled her eyes, laughing slightly. "A little hint for you: I own almost every book in this bookstore." She waved to him as she headed for the door. "Have fun."

He stuck his tongue out at her before leaving the store and walking in the opposite direction. "What do girls want?" he kept muttering to himself, looking intently at the sidewalk.

It was the end of June, and Sam's birthday was in exactly five days. He chuckled to himself, thinking how funny it was that someone that hated the sunlight as much as Sam did had been born in the month that had the most sunlight out of any of the summer months. Of course, he was too busy staring at the sidewalk to notice the person walking out of the store and ran right into them, managing to knock both of them down.

"Hey!" the person said, snatching up their packages.

"Oh, sorry." Danny picked up one of the packages and handed it to her, finally looking up. "Hey, Valerie."

The African American girl turned and smiled. "I should've known it was you that ran into me. You're such a klutz."

"I resent that," the poor boy muttered, having been insulted twice in one day already. His ego wasn't much to begin with, and the insults definitely weren't helping. "Wait a second… I could ask you!"

Valerie blinked as the blue-eyed teen grinned at her. "Ask me what?" she asked, brow raised.

The two of them had already had a talk about where they stood. Both of them were obviously in love with someone else. Valerie had admitted that she had a crush on Tucker, but Danny hadn't said.

"Sam's present. You know, her birthday's in a few days."

"Sorry, Danny. She paid me off too," the ghost hunter said with a grin.

The boy groaned, falling back so he was lying sprawled out on the sidewalk. "She's paid off anyone that could help me! I bet she even paid off Lancer."

"Like Lancer would be helpful," Valerie said, laughing. She stood with her packages finally retrieved, looking down at the depressed boy still lying on the ground. "Come on, Danny. This is _Sam_ we're talking about. You know her better than anyone."

"And unfortunately, that's not helping me at all at the moment," Danny muttered as Valerie left with a wave. He sighed and reluctantly sat up, glaring darkly at nothing in particular. "What the heck would a girl want?" he yelled at the sky.

Unfortunately, it didn't answer. He sighed and got up off his butt, stalking down the sidewalk to the next store. He skipped the clothing stores since he didn't know Sam's size nor was he about to ask her. He searched every store window, trying to get ideas. He finally stopped in front of a jewelry store, an idea hitting him. Sam liked jewelry, didn't she? She was always wearing that dark choker and those bracelets, but he wasn't thinking that kind of jewelry. He was thinking more along the lines of the small bit of gold he was now staring at in the window.

It was simple gold band with an emerald heart. There was no way he had the money for that. Working at the Nasty Burger didn't exactly pay for that kind of bling, and fighting ghosts didn't pay at all. Well, except for the athletic body he now possessed. He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. The real question was would Sam like it? In fact, that was only one of the questions running through Danny's mind. Would she understand the meaning behind the ring? Would she kill him for it? He shook his head, walking away sorrowfully. What was the point of lingering around a present he couldn't even buy?

"I wish I knew what girls wanted," he muttered as he passed an alley.

A figure floated out of the alley, watching the boy leave. She smiled, raising her hands over her head and saying, "So you have wished it, so shall it be." Then she disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

The next day, Danny headed out into the world to find Sam's gift. He needed to find it soon because he'd feel bad if he showed up at her party with nothing. _Oh, God, there he is! He's so cute… Stupid head._ He looked up, glancing around him. There was no one near enough to have been speaking to him. He caught sight of Sam in the goth bookstore he had just passed. There was no way she had said that. He knocked on the glass to get her attention and waved. She smiled and waved back.

_He must still be having trouble finding my gift. Poor guy, maybe I should let Tucker help him._ Danny tried not to freak out. That was Sam's voice except it was her thoughts… in his head? He groaned, looking heavenward as he realized he'd made a wish yesterday… and Desiree probably heard him! _Okay, either he's freaking out, or he's really, really desperate to find my gift._ He nearly jumped when Sam's voice entered his mind again. There had to be some way to block it out, right? _Why is that boy just standing there? What a weirdo._ That definitely wasn't Sam.

He growled and stuffed his hands in his pockets, stalking off. "This is not what I had in mind!" he muttered.

"Danny!"

He sighed and stopped as Sam ran to catch him. "Yeah?" he asked, not looking at her.

She set her hand on his shoulder. _Aw, I didn't want to torture him this much. I just wanted to see if he would find out…_ "You okay?"

"I'm fine," he muttered, running a hand through his hair as he kept walking, but he was curious as to what Sam had wanted him to figure out. Maybe this _would_ be good as long as he could get rid of the other women's voices.

_Yeah, right._ "Oh, come on, Danny. You look like you could use a little bit of a pick-me-up." _And I really, really want to spend time with just you._ He shot her a glance, but she was looking forward. "Chocolate shakes at the Nasty Burger? My treat," she tried to entice him. _Please, please, please, please, please…_

"Okay, okay," he said, laughing. "You talked me into it." That and he was sick of her broken record of "please."

The two of them headed for the Nasty Burger, talking about nothing in particular. Danny, meanwhile, was listening to her thoughts and every other females that they passed. Some of them were things he'd rather have never known while some of them were actually pretty interesting—especially Sam's. When he grabbed her hand to stop her from passing in front of a speeding car, Sam's thoughts revealed just how much of a hero she thought he was. When they had to squeeze really close together to get past a crowd of people, Sam silently commented about how much she loved his scent. When he held open the door for her, her thoughts revealed her inner swooning. Danny was starting to think that maybe what Sam _really_ wanted for her birthday was… him.

_Oh, great, here come the love birds_, he heard Paulina think. _God, can they be any more sickeningly sweet? _Star thought. _I can't wait till Clueless One figures it out_, Valerie's thoughts chimed in. Danny was just glad they weren't all speaking at once or he was sure he'd end up with a headache. He and Sam went up to the counter, ordering their chocolate shakes. Sam moved to pull her money out, but Danny beat her to it. Valerie and Sam both inwardly sighed at his gentlemanly behavior, missing his smirk. He never knew Sam was such a romantic.

They sat at a two-person table, chatting about how things were going so far with Danny's search. Danny proudly announced that he was almost sure he knew what she wanted, and Sam's thoughts teasing disagreed. They fell silent after a while, simply enjoying each other's company. Danny was startled out of his own thoughts when Sam's said, _Oh, no, I was doing it again! I'm so glad Danny's not a mind reader, or he'd swear I had a nasty mind._ Danny glanced at her to see her blushing at her chocolate shake. _Must stop imagining about Danny… wearing nothing at all. Ah, I did it again!_ This time, Danny blushed too but quickly pushed it down.

"Hey, Sam," he suddenly said, trying to break her thoughts away from him, "what's your favorite flower?"

She blinked, brow raised. "Danny, after all these years we've known each other, this is the first time you've asked me this, and you know I'm not going to help you with your gift." But her mind told him what he wanted: _lilacs and bluebells because it makes me daydream about you and me._

Danny suddenly had a strange desire to find Desiree and thank her. Instead, his hand disappeared. Sam stared at the missing body part pointedly, and Danny laughed nervously. "Um, oops." He concentrated on calling it back while struggling to think of something to excuse it on. _Please don't tell me he was drooling over Paulina or Valerie again…_ "Oh, hey, I didn't tell you: Tucker's planning to make a move on Valerie finally."

Sam was silent for a moment, just watching him. _And you're okay with this… why?_ "Well, that's good I guess…" she said slowly.

He played dumb for a moment then started laughing. "What, you think I still have a crush on her?"

"I said no such thing!" _When the heck did he become so observant?_

He smiled, shaking his head. "Sammy, Sammy, Sammy… I'm not as clueless as you think I am anymore," he said.

_Oh, God, that sent shivers down my spine…_ "Wow, you've graduated to Mr. Annoying because I have no idea _what_ you're talking about."

He just smiled deviously before glancing at his watch. "I better go. I've got to be somewhere." He stood. "Thanks for the shakes—"

"—that you paid for," she reminded him, but he ignored her.

"And thanks for the talk. I'll see you on the fifth, okay?" He headed out the door with a final wave. Sam waved back before groaning. _What does he know that I don't?_ Danny grinned as he headed for the floral shop. "Wouldn't you like to know?" he whispered under his breath.

* * *

Danny knew he was going to be late, but he needed to find Desiree and ask her to remove the wish before going to Sam's party. He flew to the park, dropping down beside the fountain. He glanced at the coin in his hand then back at the fountain. "Um, I wish I couldn't hear girl's thoughts," he mumbled, tossing the coin in the water.

Desiree appeared out of a pink smoke. "So you have wished, so shall it… Hey, you're already getting rid of it already?" She crossed her arms over her chest, pouting. "I specifically didn't mess with that wish just to help you out."

"I know, and it did," Danny said with a grin. "That's why I'm going to let you stay at the fountain for a few days. Just try not to mess with people's wishes and make me work today, okay?"

She sighed with mock annoyance. "All right, I'll _try_." She smiled then waved her hands. "Now, you're going to be late to her party, but I'm guessing it'll be worth it."

"Of course it will," Danny said as he took off.

He didn't go to Sam's party. Instead, he left a note for her on her pillow, asking her to meet him at the park at five. At the park with nearly an hour to go till five, an apprehensive ghost boy was sitting anxiously on a bench. Beside him rested a bluebell and a lilac, tied together with a black ribbon. He was sure Sam would kill him for missing her party, but this wasn't something he could give her with everyone else around. Five minutes to five, he was on his feet, pacing.

"All right, Danny, where are you?" a familiar voice called out. "And you better have a good reason for missing my party too."

Danny carefully picked up the flowers, making certain they were still tied together. He smiled as she entered the clearing. "Happy Birthday, Sam," he said, handing her the flowers.

She blushed, taking them from him almost shyly. "These are my favorite," she mumbled.

"Sorry I wasn't there at the party. The store in town didn't have bluebells." It was true; he'd found both flowers in an open field about fifteen miles away from town. He stepped forward, taking her hand in his. "That's only part of your gift." He went ghost without calling out his catch-phrase. "Come on," he said, tugging at her hand.

Sam stepped closer to him, and he picked her up bridal-style, startling her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, still holding her flowers, as he took to the skies. "Where are we going?" she asked. He didn't answer, nor had she expected him to. "Okay, guess I don't get to know."

He smiled at her before picking up the pace, making Sam tighten her hold on his neck only slightly. She rested her head against his strong chest, sighing as she breathed in his familiar scent even while he was in ghost form. She closed her eyes, simply enjoying her flight with Danny. She opened them a few minutes later when she felt him descending.

"We're here," he said, setting her on her feet.

She looked around her, gasping. They stood in the middle of a field filled with nothing but lilacs and bluebells. "Danny, I… It's beautiful," she whispered.

He smiled as he returned to human form, obviously glad that she loved the field. "It took me forever to find it."

"The field?" she asked, glancing at him. He shook his head, stepping closer to her. She turned to him fully, hoping he couldn't hear the beating of her heart. "Wh-what couldn't you find?" she whispered, now that they were only inches apart.

"The perfect gift," he whispered back, "but then I realized I already had it."

Sam thought her heart was going to stop beating as his hand slowly raised to stroke her cheek before entangling itself in her hair, pulling her closer to him gently, slowly. He leaned toward her, eyes searching hers. Her eyes closed on their own accord as she leaned up toward him, meeting his lips with hers. His lips were so warm, so inviting. It was like kissing… the one you would love for the rest of your life. Her arms wrapped around his neck as he pulled her closer—if that were possible—and one hand fisted in his raven hair.

She parted her lips as she felt his tongue against them, inviting her to deepen the kiss, which she did wholeheartedly. Their tongues were locked in a dance, tasting and loving the other like they had never done before. This _definitely _wasn't "just friends" behavior. Sam could only hope that it wasn't an accident. The kiss broke off slowly, her lips glistening in the fading light from his treatment of them. He didn't stop there though, kissing her forehead then each cheek then her nose before setting a light kiss on her lips.

"I realized," he whispered slowly, eyes still closed, "that the best gift I could give you was my heart." He opened his eyes to gaze into hers. "Because you already gave me yours."

She smiled, her eyes shining brightly. "Danny," she whispered, shaking her head before reaching up and touching his cheek. "Thank you," she whispered. "This is the best gift I could ever ask for."

He smiled too, his forehead resting on hers. "I love you, Sammy."

She giggled, a light blush crossing her cheeks. "I love you too, Dannykins, and I'll love you forever."


	16. Nobody Wants to be Lonely

_**Disclaimer: Danny Phantom—owned by Butch Hartman and Nickelodeon. All rights reserved, blah, blah, blah. "Nobody Wants to be Lonely"—owned by Christina Aguilera, Ricky Martin, and the record companies concerning those two. All rights reserved, blah, blah, blah once more.**_

_**A quick note: Hmm, I'm on a roll tonight. Well, a rolling chair anyway. (grins cheekily) Anyway, I listened to this song over and over while I wrote this little story. It's short, but it's supposed to be. It's cuter that way, trust me. I don't let any stupid dialogue get in the way (though it's helpful for fluff like "What a girl Wants" but anyway), and the paragraphs are longer than my paragraphs usually are. Also, guys, I take requests so if you ever want me to write a story about a certain song, please let me know! Also, I'd appreciate it if you include an idea with the song so I have somewhere to start. Sam (Samantha-Girl Scout) is really helpful in that department. (huggles Sam)**_

**_Reviews: _**Samantha-Girl Scout, cutereviewgirl, shadowedstar213, Bubble Phantom, Red's-Fury.

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**Nobody Wants to be Lonely**

Lilac eyes gazed up at the stars, a soft sigh escaping her full, red lips. Long raven hair fell past her shoulders, unbound and shifting slightly with the gentle breeze. She pulled her legs to her chest, resting her chin upon her knees. Tears slipped down her pale cheeks, her slim figure shaking as she attempted to control the sobs that threatened to destroy her. It wasn't her fault, she tried to remind herself. He had left her because of other issues, not because of her. She shook her head, turning away from the stars to gaze around her dark room. Intermixed with posters of gothic circuses and dark bands were photos of she and her friends.

Her friends… She missed them, but she missed one particular black-haired blue-eyed boy in particular. He had been the one that tried to warn her. No, he hadn't tried to warn her; she stubbornly turned her eyes back to the stars and away from his smiling face. He hadn't tried to warn her that she had been moving to fast. He was jealous, and they both knew it. He had made it quite clear with her first boyfriend that he didn't like watching her with other guys, but he also made it rather obvious that he never planned to make a move on her himself. So, she found someone else, and he had _not_ been happy.

But Jeremy had seemed like the real deal. He was smart, sensitive, witty, sarcastic, and goth. He had seemed perfect. They dated all through high school, and she had smugly watched her blue-eyed first love suffer and wallow in the torment he had put his own heart through. After high school, the threesome kind of went their different ways. Their African-American techno geek friend had finally gotten a girl, and they were going steady through college. The reluctant half ghost hero, however, had not been so lucky. Unable to hold a steady job because of ghost hunting, he continuously got fired. College wasn't an option for him simply because he knew he wouldn't make it.

And she—the sarcastic, morbid humored one of the group—had agreed to elope with Jeremy. She still remembered the day she told them. The techno geek had been excited for her simply because she was happy. The half ghost hero? Well, he had simply stared at her with a slightly gaping mouth. The pain in his eyes was replaced only moments later by the green-eyed beast known as jealousy. In this young man's case, his eye literally glowed green. He argued with her, telling her to rethink her decision, that she was moving too fast. Even for as long as those two had been dating, they both knew nothing about each other—something that her blue-eyed first love should've never known.

Just like the first guy, he had ignorantly revealed that he'd been spying on her again. The two friends had a huge fight, which the techno-geek managed to escape. Fuming and glowering with rage, she had returned to her house to pack. Her anger fueled her, and she packed in half the time she thought she would. She went to Jeremy's house earlier than they had agreed simply because she had nothing else to do. When she walked into his room, however, she found him in bed with another woman. That had torn her heart in two: her best friend had betrayed her trust once more, and her fiancée was cheating on her.

The lilac-eyed young woman bit her lip to keep from crying, longing for the memories to just go away. She leaned her forehead against the glass, closing her eyes tightly. In her heart, she knew her reluctant hero had known about the cheating, but she could never bring herself to apologize to him or face him again at all. Alone and brokenhearted, she remained in Amity Park. The techno geek had been accepted to his first choice college, and he and his girlfriend immediately moved out there. As for the hero? She didn't even know where he was. She had once run into his older sister in the super market, and she had mentioned something about a girl and leaving Amity Park forever.

"Danny," she breathed, speaking his name for the first time in many months as tears continued to course down her cheeks. "Danny, please don't leave me…"

She felt as though her heart had stopped as strong arms suddenly wrapped around her waist, a figure sitting behind her at the window seat. She moved from her position to lean against his chest, gazing up at a face as familiar to her as the darkness she loved so much. Lime green eyes gazed out the window at the stars, snow-white hair ruffled by the breeze blowing through the partially open window. She closed her eyes for a moment as the familiar blue rings moved up and down his body, opening them once more to gaze into the eyes of her first love. Crystal blue eyes gazed down at her, raven bangs casting a shadow upon his handsome face.

No words passed between them as they gazed at each other, and he finally returned his gaze to the window, looking out. His arms tightened around her waist, pulling her closer to him, and she gladly curled up in his lap, resting her head against his strong chest. She sighed softly and closed her eyes as his thumb brushed against her cheek, erasing her tears of pain and misery. His head rested atop hers as she opened her eyes once more to gaze out at the stars with him. She felt as though she should say something to him, but nothing seemed right. Words were useless at a time like this. All that mattered was that he had forgiven her, and he was here with her now. Suddenly, she didn't feel so lonely anymore.

She snuggled closer into his chest then whispered, "Thank you."


	17. Because you Live

**_Disclaimer: Don't own DP or "Because you Live" by Jesse McCartney._**

**_Reviews:_** Bubble Phantom.

**_A quick note: Beware, Rated M. It's a cute little story though that I just couldn't help writing. For some strange reason I like to write all those jealousy stories. Why?

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**Because of You**

She didn't know how long she'd been asleep before she heard a knock on the door. She groaned, and lilac eyes glared daggers at the alarm clock that read 12:00 am. Who was insane enough to knock on the door at midnight? She grabbed a robe and threw it on, pulling her raven hair out of the way. She made her way downstairs slowly, bringing a ghost gun with her. A young woman of only twenty-one living on her own like that could never be too careful, and this gun was dual-purpose: ghosts and men.

She opened the door and released a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. "Danny…"

The young man standing on her doorstep looked up at her voice. He was soaked from the storm, his black hair sticking to his forehead and dripping into his crystal blue eyes. His shoulders were slumped, and he looked defeated, broken, and wounded. His lips moved, barely choking out a, "Sam," before he stumbled forward. She grasped his arm, her eyes wide. Her first thought was a ghost attack gone bad.

"Danny? What's wrong? Are you hurt?" she asked, helping him inside.

He shook his head silently, allowing her to lead him into the house and over to her couch. The two best friends hadn't seen each other in a few months: since his marriage to Paulina. Sam and Paulina had never been friends, and it had torn her apart when her best friend married the woman she knew would only hurt him. He knew he shouldn't have come, but he had nowhere else to go. He kept one arm around his chest and shook his head as Sam tried to pry it away.

"Don't," he said. "I'm not hurt."

"Then what's wrong?" She sat down on the coffee table in front of him, hands on his shoulders. "Danny, you look as though someone died."

He shrugged. "I feel like I have," he whispered, a single tear trailing down his cheek.

Sam sucked in a quick intake of breath in surprise. She had never seen Danny cry. "What happened, Danny?" she asked softly yet demandingly. He didn't answer. "Is it… Paulina?"

"She's pregnant," he choked out, eyes closing, "and I know the baby isn't mine."

"But how could you—?"

"I was gone the month that baby was conceived," he muttered, arm tightening about his chest," for business." His laugh was empty. "At least Paulina was well taken care of while I was gone," he growled.

"Oh, Danny." Sam gently touched his cheek, her heart breaking to see him so hurt.

His shoulders shook as he struggled to control the torrent of tears just below the surface, but when Sam moved forward and embraced him, he lost it. The months of lies and struggling to keep everything together burst out of him. He had caught Paulina cheating before, but she had promised to end it. He hadn't touched her since, which had been barely three months into their marriage. First, he was still hurt about the whole situation, then he'd been gone on business, and lastly he came home to find her pregnant.

All his pain and defeat poured out of him, but Sam simply held him tightly and let him cry. He haltingly told her everything that he knew from things he'd found hidden in Paulina's stuff and more that Tucker had found out. He could easily steal anyone's identity from that little PDA of his, and it didn't take him long to hack into Paulina's secrets. That night, Danny confronted Paulina who merely told him that she wanted a divorce. Apparently, the real daddy wanted to take care of his baby and his lover, and Danny was simply an old rag she was throwing aside.

Sam held her own tears inside, hugging her best friend as he released all his grief. "I'm so sorry, Danny," she whispered, kissing him on the cheek in a friendly sort of way.

"I should've listened to you, Sam," he said softly when she finally released him. He glanced up at her with his wounded blue eyes before looking back at his feet. "You can say 'I told you so' now."

"Somehow, knowing I was right just doesn't feel as good as I thought it would be," she said sadly, ruffling his hair.

"I don't have anywhere to stay tonight," he murmured, eyes half-lidded.

Now that he'd released his grief and anger at the betrayal, he felt exhausted. Sam's acceptance and understanding was more than he had hoped for.

"You can stay here," she said, standing and getting blankets and pillows from the closet.

Danny remained where he sat, staring silently at a photo on the coffee table. It was a picture of him. Well, technically it was two pictures of him. He looked up as she handed him the blankets, mumbling a "thanks" before setting the pillow on the arm rest and laying down on the couch, shivering a little as the wet and cold of his clothes finally registered in his numb mind.

"You can't sleep in those wet clothes," Sam chided gently. "You'll get sick."

"I don't have anything else," he said after a pause.

"Hang on." Sam disappeared into her room then returned with a pair of Danny's old clothes. "After the whole fight I… well, I kind of put all your stuff in a box. I was planning to ceremoniously burn it, but well…"

A small smile graced his lips, making her smile too. "Couldn't find a goth ritual for losing your best friend?" he joked back.

She didn't say anything, shaking her head a little but still smiling. What she hadn't voiced was that she couldn't bring herself to rid herself of anything that reminded her of Danny. She actually had the other shirt he'd left behind. She was wearing it as a nightgown right now. She tightened her robe around her just in case.

"I'll go make you something warm to drink while you change," she mumbled, blushing a little.

It wasn't that she wouldn't mind watching Danny undress. It was something that often snuck into her fantasies, but he had fallen for someone else. She was just his best friend. She sighed, filling a cup with water and putting it in the microwave. She leaned against the counter while she waited for the water to heat up while mixing together her own special hot cocoa mix. She mixed the hot chocolate then waited a few more minutes before slowly entering the room. Danny was shirtless, wearing only the pants and staring out the window at the storm.

"Hey," she said gently, smiling softly as he turned.

He managed a weak smile, thanking her as she handed him the hot mug. He blew on it then took a careful sip. "This is good," he commented, trying to get his mind off his situation.

"Thanks. It's my own recipe," she admitted.

He looked up at her, impressed. "Really? I didn't know you did things like this."

"It's just something recent," she mumbled, not wanting to get into it. She didn't want to tell him that it had been the hobby that replaced ghost hunting after their fight.

Danny, however, seemed to understand and looked back at the ground. "I should've never said what I said that day," he said softly, referring to the fight that hung between them like a dark cloud covering the sunlight. "You were just trying to warn me, and I should've realized that you weren't trying to be cruel."

"You didn't want to think badly of your fiancée. It's understandable," Sam said gently.

"A fiancée that I knew was a cheater and a slut," he muttered, eyes flashing green for a moment. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath to calm himself down. "I didn't tell you this, but she was dating me while still dating Dash."

The news struck her hard, and she blinked. She hadn't known that Danny had been dating her then. But after Dash and Paulina had broken up, their hook up had seemed pretty fast in her mind. It suddenly made sense. Paulina had been a player from the first moment they'd gotten together, but Danny had been blind to it and was now paying the price, a price that was almost too much for even Sam to bear. She moved to his side, rubbing his back in an attempt to comfort him.

He looked over at her, smiling weakly. "Guess I should've known then, huh?"

"Love does crazy things to us," Sam murmured, knowing from experience.

"I guess." He leaned back on the couch, setting his cup on the coffee table. It was empty. Sam couldn't remember him finishing it. "So, what have you been to these past few months? Aside from making award-winning hot chocolate."

She blushed at the compliment. "Not much," she admitted. "Working myself through school and fighting with my parents. They want me to move back in."

"I would've thought you'd be married by now," he said, looking at her. "You're so beautiful, I would've thought some guy would fall in love with you by now."

"I think someone might have," she mumbled, blushing a little. Danny hadn't even seemed to notice that he'd said that about his best friend.

"Oh?" His interest masked his disappointment. "Who do you have wrapped around your little finger, Sam?" He smiled a little. Just being with her seemed to lift his spirits and knowing that she had someone else put a slight damper on that.

She smiled, shaking her head. "I said I _think_ I've got someone looking. I can't be sure."

"Why not? Is he too macho to admit his feelings?"

She nearly laughed. "That might be it, but, well, he's kind of going through hard times too. Besides, he only sees me as a friend." She looked away.

If he couldn't piece it together from those hints, it was hopeless. His silence didn't help matters, and she jumped when his hand suddenly touched hers. She turned to him, gazing into uncertain, fearful blue eyes.

"Maybe if I _had_ admitted my feelings, none of this would've happened," he whispered.

Sam felt as though her heart was going to thump out of her chest as his lips met hers in a gentle kiss. Slowly the kiss deepened, her arms wrapping around his neck as he kissed her passionately, a fire rising in her body. She barely registered that he had stood, her legs wrapping around his hips as he walked them slowly to her bedroom. She broke off the kiss slowly, her lips glistening. She gazed into his eyes as he hovered above her on his hands and knees on her bed. His eyes were darkened by the passion she felt in her own body.

She didn't object to his wandering hands, her own beginning a slow journey of their own. His eyes left hers for only a moment, smirking when he saw she was wearing his shirt. "Put all my stuff in a box, huh?" he teased, his voice husky and deep from his desire.

She playfully slapped his shoulder. "Shut up," she muttered, her hands slowly trailing up and down his chest.

The years of ghost fighting had been good to him, and he had the body to prove it. She loved the feel of those muscles beneath her fingers. Danny's breathing quickened slightly as her hands slowly moved downward, stopping just above the waistband to his pants. She smirked as he growled slightly while she teased his waistband. She reluctantly gave up on the teasing when he pulled her night shirt up over her head. She wore nothing underneath and was now bare to his gaze.

His eyes roamed her body appreciatively, making her blush. "God, Sam, you're beautiful," he whispered, leaning down and kissing her lips.

Her hands made their way downward, tugging on his waistband. He took that as a hint and pulled the pants off, tossing them carelessly to the floor. She shuddered as his bare skin touched hers, the feeling sending sparks throughout her entire body. Her eyes closed as his kisses trailed down her neck to her shoulders, one hand fisted in his hair. She had never felt anything like this before; she had never done anything like this before. She gasped as he ground his hips into hers.

He raised his head to look into her eyes, his own clouded with worry. "Are you okay?"

She nodded. "I-It just startled me is all," she whispered. She gripped his shoulders, unconsciously spreading her legs so he could nestle between them. "Danny, I-I've never done this before," she whispered.

"I'll go slowly," he whispered back, nuzzling her cheek with his. "I'll be gentle," he promised.

She nodded again, trust shining in her eyes as she gazed into his. He moved forward slowly, keeping his eyes locked on hers. Her eyes closed, and she bit her lip, whimpering slightly, as he broke through the barrier. Her first instinct was to pull away, but Danny's voice in her ear soothingly told her to stay still. She relaxed as he gently rubbed her arms, kissing her neck, cheek, and lips tenderly. He was so gentle, and Sam had a sudden desire to kill Paulina. How could she need another man with someone as gentle as Danny?

She moved her hips experimentally, letting out a light moan as he slid deeper. She opened her eyes to gaze into his. His eyes were so bright, so intoxicating. She moved her body with his, lacking the experience she assumed he had from being married. She pushed that thought from her mind though as she gave herself whole-heartedly to her best friend. Their pace quickened, only intensifying the strange sensation building in her abdomen. Her grip on his shoulders was so tight, she was afraid she would hurt him.

Suddenly, the sensation burst into a million tiny sparks, sending a wonderful sensation throughout her entire body. Her eyes closed, and her head snapped back as she cried out his name in absolute pleasure. She was dimly aware of Danny whispering her name in her ear as he found his own release. She smiled at him as he rolled off of her, both of them trying to catch her breath. Sam snuggled close as he pulled her to him, pulling the blankets up over their naked bodies. She could hear his heart beat as she drifted off to sleep.

Sam woke in the morning with a groan, rolling over to avoid the sunlight peaking through her curtains. Then she realized there was a body missing beside hers. She sat up, wincing slightly. Danny wasn't in the bed, and he wasn't in the room. There was no water running in the bathroom so it was safe to assume he wasn't there either. She stood, wrapping her robe around her naked body and making her way through her house. Danny was nowhere to be seen. Had he just come to use her and leave? She bit her lip nervously, blinking back tears. How could you misread someone as gentle as Danny?

She whirled around as the door opened, and Danny entered with a bag. "Hey, you're up," he said, smiling at her.

Sam couldn't help herself; she practically threw herself into his arms, hugging him tightly. "I thought you'd left," she whispered softly, eyes closed as she rested her head on his chest just breathing in his familiar scent.

"I'm not going to leave you, Sammy," he whispered back, his arms wrapped around her as he kissed the top of her head. "I had to go to the courthouse early this morning then go get breakfast."

She pulled back as he mentioned the courthouse. She had completely forgotten about Paulina, Danny's pain, and the divorce. "Oh," she said slowly.

"I gave it all up."

She blinked. "What?"

"I told the judge she could have it all."

"But Danny that was… that was everything you had!"

He shook his head, stepping closer to her and resting his forehead against hers, taking her hand and entwining their fingers. "I have you," he whispered, "and that's all I need."


	18. Everything You Want

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Danny Phantom or "Everything you Want" by Vertical Horizon.**_

**_Reviews:_** Star-In-The-Sky-25, Zirra Nova, Eris Dea Disaccordo, HAlFa34, Nobody is Somebody. **These are old reviews that I didn't get to put in the chapter I actually uploaded instead of this one. Sorry! I'll post the recent reviews under a different chapter.**

**_A quick note: Now, this is a cute little story I came up with quite a while ago. I ended up getting stuck on it forever, and now I finally finished it! Horray! Oh, and here's a little bit about how I get these stories to fit the songs so well: I listen to the song over and over again until it's playing in my head like a personal little radio… with no "skip" button.

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**Everything You Want**

_Dear Diary,_

_I see him everyday, the boy that I'm in love with. He's got these gorgeous, crystal blue eyes, and his black hair is always a mess. It's can't be tamed, no matter how hard he tries. Even at the dance. Ah, the dance… I sigh as I think about it. Danny and I danced the last dance that night. On the basketball field. Under the stars. It was so romantic, but Danny and I just aren't like that._

_Don't get me wrong: I want it to be like that. It's a very ungoth thought, but I really, really want us to be more than "just friends." I'm in love with him. And I'm not just in love with the cute, clumsy, lazy Danny Fenton side of him. I love the muscular, brave, reluctant Danny Phantom side of him too. Together, they make up the guy I love. Of course, he's too busy chasing after Paulina._

_I cringe every day when he chases after _her_. We walk to school together—Tucker, he, and I—then she shows up and suddenly I'm forgotten. Paulina's beautiful, popular, Spanish, and sexy—according to the guys I hang out with (Yeah, Tucker and Danny). Me, well, I'm pretty, geeky, and goth. Why would Danny want me when he could have Paulina? Not that he would ever get her. She's too above him to notice him, but I'm not._

_Why doesn't he see it? I love him, but he chases after a girl that doesn't even look his way except when he's Danny Phantom. Oh, yeah, and that one time she found out Danny Phantom and Fenton were the same person. Yeah, it definitely would have made it easier for her to date Phantom, but Danny wiped her memory along with everyone else. But why? If he wanted Paulina so desperately and there she was suddenly throwing herself at him, why would he erase her memory?_

_I just don't understand guys, and unfortunately, my only friends are guys. Like I said, I'm geeky, and so are Danny and Tucker. Danny's the ghost geek, but everyone just thinks it's because of his parents' profession. Tucker's the techno geek, and that one's a no brainer. He carries that stupid PDA everywhere. I swear, I think he sleeps with it like you would a teddy bear._

_I don't know why I'm even writing in this book. Jazz had given it to me as a Christmas gift. Why? I don't know. She knows I don't like to talk about my feelings, so I guess this was some kind of outlet. And trust me, I definitely need an outlet. Sometimes, Danny makes me so infuriated when he's chasing her. I once punched a locker because I was so upset. I don't remember if it was when he was "dating" Paulina—Kitty was actually overshadowing her—or if it was when he was trying to date Valerie. Who cares? All I know is that it wasn't me._

_Valerie's a ghost hunter, and her specialty is hunting Danny. I bailed him out the first time she appeared with a "fake-out make-out." Yeah, right. It just gave me an excuse to kiss him, and I made up the first thing that came to mind. His lips are so… perfect too. I like kissing him, and I've kissed him twice already. How many "just friends" have kissed their best friend twice? But they were both fake-out make-outs in Danny's mind, and I've been trying to convince myself of the same thing. Not that it's working…_

_The second fake-out make-out was in the lab. I'd made a stupid wish that Desiree granted. I wished I'd never met Danny. Since I was the one that had kind of forced him into the Ghost Portal that gave him ghost powers, Danny Fenton was just that: Danny Fenton. No Phantom counterpart, no ghost powers, no sexy, skin tight jumpsuit. I can't believe I just admitted that. Anyway, trying to put things right again so he could defeat Desiree, I forced him into the Portal again._

_Of course, I had to get his attention first. I had to wear pink. Yes, pink. And girly make-up too. Ugh! That is the first and only time I would ever wear pink. But I'm off subject again. After he went in the Portal and got ghost powers for the second time in a row—this time with an added symbol to his jumpsuit that I designed myself—we had to think of some kind of cover when Jack was coming downstairs. Danny did the first think he could think of (I love him for that): he kissed me. I was actually a little flighty a moment after, but that soon passed._

_That's when I began to realize that I was in love with him, of course. All these different things that I'm finally writing down. There are so many different things I could list. Ember's love spell—tuned down a bit though (he kind of went overboard)—and the time I tried out in a beauty pageant and so many more that I can't even think of off the top of my head. But I guess I should explain Ember's spell and the beauty pageant._

_Ember's a ghost: a teen rock star ghost. She has flaming hair that grows when people chant her name, just like her power grows. She pretty much had every teen in Amity Park hypnotized with her music except me and Danny. It was really weird. I said that Danny probably wasn't affected because of his ghost powers, and I wasn't affected because of—and here Danny interrupted me to say this—my individuality and intelligence. Wow, that's definitely a compliment I don't hear everyday from my best friend._

_Turns out, I wasn't affected because I was wearing the Fenton Phones. A couple of hours and hundreds of chanting teens later, Ember was strong enough to affect Danny now too. And guess what she did? She turns a little knob on her guitar and blasts us with it. I'm nearly thrown off the building, and Danny's suddenly in love with me! It was great… until he got a little carried away. He wouldn't leave me to fight Ember so I was forced to kiss Dash—I still gag when I think about it (he really does taste like failure)—to break the spell. I hope Danny realized the sacrifice I made. Gross._

_The beauty pageant… was a stupid idea. A ghost princess that had somehow formed herself to look like someone else—or maybe who she looked like when she was alive—decided to host a beauty pageant at Casper High. Believe it or not, Danny was chosen as the judge. Suddenly, every girl wanted him, and I was going to make sure that didn't happen. So I entered. Danny and Tucker only found out when Tucker was randomly picking out his dates from the girls on the pageant list. Being the judge's best friend gave him a lot of new privileges._

_So, I went through the stupid pageant stuff. I found out that it was the ghost princess—who can also turn into a dragon if she gets angry, by the way (I actually wore the amulet that turns her into a dragon one time)—and what her plan was. Since I had to perform at the moment, I tried to tell Danny as subtly as I could. He didn't get the message until I'd walked off stage and Lancer had asked for his choice of winner. Not even hearing the man, Danny calls out, "Sam!" And, yippee, I win. But I didn't just win the pageant. I was now going to be the bride of some insane, backward, medieval prince who was the brother of the girl running the pageant._

_I was actually managing to escape on my own until Danny and Tucker decided to "rescue" me. Danny nearly got his butt kicked until I talked the princess into fighting her brother. Then we took his dragon amulet and destroyed it. Still, it was really nice. After we got back to Casper High, Danny crowned me the true winner. Tucker ended up pummeled by all the enraged girls, but Danny and I walked off arm in arm to hang out at the Nasty Burger._

_So, if you haven't realized yet, I'm in love with Danny Fenton/Phantom. How could I not? He's my best friend and knows me better than even my parents do. Of course, that's not hard. My parents don't understand me. I just wish—and here I'm glad I can write this down instead of saying it out loud and having Desiree hear it—that Danny would realize the hints I've been sneaking in here and there. Sure, they're subtle, but Tucker notices them for crying out loud! Danny's just so dense. But he's my dense Danny._

_I actually did make him jealous once. A supposed exchange student came to Casper High. Danny swore up and down that he was one of the Guys in White, but it turns out he was just a jerk named Elliot who wasn't even an exchange student. He kissed me, even though I didn't want him to, and he kept trying to get me to go steady with him. Truthfully, I liked him, but I kept thinking about Danny. Danny's the one I want to go steady with, and obviously his parents want it too._

_There's this ring that Danny was supposedly going to give Valerie. Yeah, right. It's got my name on it. Seriously, no joke. It literally has my name on it. It's a class ring, and a girl wears her guy's class ring when they're going steady. At first, I thought it was Wes, but Tucker, the oh-so-observant-one, flipped it around for me. That was a total shocker, and I think Tucker thought I was either going to a) kill Danny's dad for making the ring or b) finally admit my feelings to Danny. I did neither. Danny didn't know that I knew, so why kill him and make a big scene over it? Oh, right, because I'm in love with him.

* * *

_

Sam jumped as the bell rang, making her look up from her journal. She checked her watch then grabbed her books, making a run for her locker. She wasn't in the mood to watch Danny and Tucker drool over Paulina, which is what they were doing at the moment. Danny was startled from his Paulina fantasies when he heard something small clatter to the floor. He walked over to the little black book, picking it up.

He looked toward Sam who was running down the hall toward the exit. "Hey, Sam! You dropped…" He shook his head as the doors closed behind her. "Guess she couldn't hear me." He looked back at the little book. "I didn't know she kept a journal… Hey, this is the one Jazz gave her for Christmas."

He opened it to the first page. **Dear Diary, I see him everyday, the boy that I'm in love with…

* * *

**

"NO!" Sam screamed, staring at her now-empty backpack. "I thought I had it with me! Where did it go? Oh, no. Oh, no…" She checked through all her notebooks and textbooks just in case. "What if Paulina found it or Dash? Damn, they'd have so much dirt on me then." She gasped, stopping everything and staring wide-eyed at nothing in particular. "What if _Danny_ found it?" she whispered.

She screamed in frustration before grabbing a pillow and burying her face into it. She was suddenly very, very interested in death… more than usual, that is.

* * *

Meanwhile, Danny sat on his bed with a pen in his hand, chewing on the end. After reading Sam's rather passionate confession about her love for him, he realized he had to tell her. But where to begin? He stared at the blank page he had turned to then blinked. He hesitated then put the pen to paper, beginning to write.

* * *

Sam wasn't sure what was worse: finding her journal in the hands of Paulina or Dash or finding her journal in the hands of the one that she had just barely filled almost five pages about. Unfortunately, at school the next day, she didn't have much choice in the matter. Standing beside her locker was Danny, and in his hands was her little black book. He smiled brightly when he saw her.

"Hey, Sam," he said, holding the book out to her. "You dropped this yesterday."

There was nothing suspicious in his tone or his expression, but something told her that not everything was as it should be with her little book. Once he had left for class, she slipped into the girl's bathroom and locked herself in a stall, leaning against the cool tile wall as she opened the little book. Her breath caught in her throat as she flipped to the sixth page to find herself staring at a different handwriting entirely. **Dear Sam, I know I shouldn't have looked, and I'm sorry. But now that I've read what you said, I feel it's time for me to tell you something I could probably never admit to without phasing out body parts…

* * *

**

_I'll start with Paulina, since that's obviously a touchy subject with you. I just hope I'm not present when you're reading this because you'd probably injure me in some way just by reading her name. What I felt for Paulina came and went. She may be all those things you listed, but she's missing the most important pieces: a heart, and a mind. I know it sometimes seems like we (and I mean my sex in general) could live without those two components, just living off a girl's looks for the rest of our lives, but looks fade in time, Sam. After all, girls like Paulina are "a dime a dozen."_

_I erased her memory because I knew I didn't want to end up with her. In the long run, it just wouldn't be worth it. Besides, this is _Paulina_ we're talking about. If I didn't erase her memory but wiped the rest, how long do you think it would be before she said something to someone? Although, I'm sure _you_ would enjoy the look on Paulina's face when she realizes she just betrayed her favorite ghost boy and got him shipped off to the Guys in White to be used in whatever lab rat experiments they can think of. Not that I think you would enjoy the idea of me being used as a lab rat…_

_As for Valerie, my thing for her passed too. If you want to know the truth, my thing for her passed as soon as I saw you with Gregor... er, Elliot. Whatever his name was. My thing for her passed because it was then I realized I never wanted to see you with a guy that wasn't me, and it finally got to my thick skull that she really is out to kill me. Well, part of me anyway. You haven't been around a lot so you didn't know that Valerie and I agreed to be "just friends." She's actually going out with Tucker right now. Haven't you noticed that he's never around?_

_As for the so-called exchange student, I already mentioned that I was jealous, but now I'll tell you just how jealous I was. I was very, very tempted to overshadow him quite a few times just to make him make a fool out of himself in front of you. But you're not like most people. You would've been able to tell. Well, except for the one time with getting Tucker to ask you to the dance, and I'm still sorry that I didn't ask you myself because I should have. I should've realized that Paulina was a fake, but well, I can't speak for my 14-year-old guy hormones. All I can say is that she isn't the one I hold in my heart—that's your place._

_And as for the ring, you can keep it as long as you agree to the conditions. So, Sam, are you willing to go steady with your best friend?_

_Danny_


	19. Fall to Pieces

_**Disclaimer: Danny Phantom—Copyright Butch Hartman and Nickelodeon. "Fall to Pieces"—Copyright Avril and her record company.**_

**_A quick note: This is total fluff, so you all know. There is absolutely no exact plot to this, just a cute little bit of fluffiness and sugar! Wheeeeeee! I admit, I love the fluff too! This story graduated to its own Review folder in my inbox! Wheeeee!_**

**_Reviews:_** Nobody is Somebody (4), Galateagirl, Samantha-Girl Scout (3), shadowedstar213, dannynsam4ever, Blood of a Tear, A Unique Pen Name, cutereviewgirl (2), DxS Phreak, Red's-Fury.

* * *

**Fall to Pieces**

She walked beside him as they headed for the Nasty Burger, lilac eyes glancing in his direction every so often. She smiled as he reached over and grasped her hand in his, pulling her closer to him. Sometimes it was unbelievable how close she and her best friend had gotten after finally admitting their feelings and taking their relationship to the next level. She looked up into his crystal blue eyes, smiling as he kissed her forehead. The third in their group, an African American techno geek, had moved away almost as soon as they were out of high school. This had left the two of them spending more time alone together, and much to their third friend's disappointment, they got together without his help.

"So, what are we getting?" he asked her, bringing her out of her memories.

She smiled, resting her head against his chest as he slipped his arms around her waist, pulling her close. "You promised to try their new Ultra-Recyclo Vegetarian dish remember?"

"Aw, do I have to, Sammy?" he whined, raven bangs creating a shadow on his gorgeous face as he looked down at her.

She giggled, resting her hands on his on her stomach. "Danny, it's just a salad. It's not going to kill you."

"I'm guessing you don't remember the Lunch Lady then, huh?" he teased.

She playfully slapped his arm. "As if I could forget. Getting buried in that much meat then having to sit there while Tucker attempted to eat a way out for me?"

"Guess I should've phased you out of it before going after the ghost," he said with a smirk.

"That would've been helpful, yeah." She looked up at him. "So, willing to try the salad or what?"

"Fine, fine," he said with mock annoyance, "but if I suddenly run into a giant ghost carrot or something, it's your fault."

"A ghost carrot?" She looked at him with a raised brow. "Honestly, Danny, you've been around too much ectoplasm."

"Heh, it runs in the blood," he teased, winking at her with glowing green eyes.

Nearly four years of ghost hunting had been good for him, giving him an athletic body a lot of girls swooned over. This had, of course, led to a lot of dent lockers and snapped pencils as Sam had simmered in jealousy. Of course, she had nothing to worry about because he never went out with any of them. There was only one girl he was interested in, and that girl had—according to Danny—"gorgeous violet eyes and hair like raven's wings." That's what he had said when she finally asked him why he kept refusing every girl that looked his way, and that had definitely made her blush.

"Hey, beautiful, what'cha thinking about, huh?" Danny whispered in her ear.

She smiled, a light blush creeping across her usually pale cheeks. "You, of course."

"Oh, really?" He kissed her lightly on the neck. "What about me, hmm?"

She laughed, playfully nudging him with her elbow. "Just order so we can eat."

"Okay, okay," he said, laughing too.

He released her to speak to the man at the register, but his hand still held hers so that the guys in the restaurant would know this girl was taken and back off. Danny paid, though Sam offered, and he carried the tray to their table, sliding into the seat across from her. He poked at the salad as if he expected something to leap out of it and attack him, making her laugh.

He grinned at her. "The joys of dating an Ultra-Recyclo Vegetarian goth," he teased.

After an uneventful lunch, the two went to the park. Danny sat cross-legged in the grass with Sam sitting in his lap. He had his arms wrapped tightly around her waist with her facing away from him, his lips making trails up and down her neck. She had one hand fisted in his hair, her head leaning back against his shoulder. These moments they spent with just the two of them were more and more frequent, but Tucker was supposed to come visit some time during the summer, and they were going to cherish these moments as much as they could.

"This is nice," she whispered, opening her eyes to gaze into his as he raised his head from her neck.

"Yeah," he whispered back, kissing her lightly on the lips. "Yeah, it is."


	20. This is Me

_**Disclaimer: Danny Phantom—copyright Butch Hartman and Nickelodeon. "This is Me"—Dream and their record company.**_

_**A quick note: I have been 18 for not even an entire day, and so far... I don't feel very different. Darn...**_

**_Reviews: _**Nobody is Somebody, bunnychica9, Samantha-Girl Scout, moe and me, Blood of a Tear.

* * *

**This is Me**

He hadn't been the same since the break-up. His crystal-blue eyes had lost their usual sparkle, and he kept nervously running a hand through his raven hair. His friends had noticed, especially Sam. Her lilac eyes watched him worriedly, knowing how much pain a broken heart could be. So, she was more than surprised when about a month later, he asked her out—and not as "just friends" like he usually did. Sam had been more than ecstatic. She'd had a crush on him for as long as she could remember. A little life had seemed to return to him when they got together, but it didn't last long.

It didn't take her long to notice that he was suspicious of her. He called at all hours, wondering where she was, and when they were out on a date, he'd ask her what she thought of such-and-such guy. Sometimes it got so annoying that Sam wished he would just come out and say, "Are you cheating on me?" She had tried to reassure him so many times, and no matter how much it annoyed her, she knew she wouldn't leave him. That would only confirm his fears, and she would _not_ be the one to do that.

Instead, she worked harder on making him realize that she was different. She called him every time she left the house and told him where she was going, and she called him when she got back. As a result, he stopped calling in the middle of the night to ask her where she was. At school, she would greet him every morning with a light kiss; the surprised look on his face the first time she had done that had made it totally worth it. He knew as well as she did that she wasn't big on displays of affection at school simply because of what their classmates would say.

That one kiss in the morning would get him through the entire day, and it made her heart swell to see the happy smile on his face when he walked around campus. When they walked around town together, she would slip her hand into his, and he would respond by wrapping his arm around her waist instead. Each thing she changed made an impact, but she danced around the words "I love you" knowing that he had believed his last girlfriend had loved him. She had said the words, at least, and he had said them back. So, Sam knew those words were the last he needed to hear right now.

The two of them spent a lot of time together, pushing Tucker to the side. After a long talk between she and Tucker, however, he understood. Once Danny's heart had healed, they would include him in the things they did together, but right now, Danny needed this time of just the two of them. Of course, intermixed with all the good were the bad times too. Sometimes Danny would make the most bizarre accusations—including claiming that she was cheating on him—and they cut her deep. However, Sam knew better than getting angry and blowing up at him. Instead, she would back off until he calmed down and wait until he came to her and apologized. He always did because he knew she would never do that to him.

Now, the two of them were lying in the grass gazing up at the clouds in the park. He had his arm around her waist, lying on his back. She lay on her side, her leg crossed over his and her head resting on his shoulder. They were simply enjoying the companionable silence, knowing they had overcome many obstacles. They had been going out now for exactly a year to the day, and it had been almost two months since Danny had last accused her of anything drastic like cheating. Sam raised her head, kissing him lightly on the lips before returning her head to his shoulder. She smiled as he tightened his hold on her then ran his free hand through her hair.

"Sam," he whispered so softly she almost didn't hear him.

"Yeah, Danny?" she whispered back.

"I love you."

For a moment, she didn't think she had heard him correctly, but when she raised her head to gaze into his eyes, she could see the honesty shining in them. She smiled then kissed him again, pouring as much of her love as she possibly could into that single kiss.

"I love you too," she whispered when the kiss ended.

It had finally happened. All her hard work had finally paid off, and he trusted her once more. After everything they'd been through, the only way to go was up.


	21. Some Hearts

_**Disclaimer: Danny Phantom—copyright Butch Hartman and Nickelodeon. "Some Hearts"—copyright Carrie Underwood and her record company.**_

_**A quick note: I know, you guys are probably wondering why I'm not putting the lyrics in anymore, but it just got really annoying. Don't ask me why because I honestly don't know.**_

_**Reviews: I'm afraid I lost them somewhere... Still, thanks for your support!**_

**Some Hearts**

He stood at the window, crystal blue eyes gazing out at the stars. He sighed then ran a hand through his raven hair, lowering his gaze to the floor. He felt so alone in his dark room; everyone else was asleep, but he couldn't sleep until he'd done his nightly ghost patrol. A familiar blue ring appeared at his middle before splitting into two. A black jumper replaced his pajamas, white boots covering his bare feet. White gloves covered his hands, and a white belt wrapped around his middle. Black hair was replaced with snow-white locks, blue eyes reopening to reveal a glowing lime green color instead. He flew through the glass, taking to the sky.

Sometimes he wondered if he would ever find someone to love him. He wondered a lot about things like that now that he was almost nineteen. He wanted a family, but he was afraid of how the ghost blood in him would affect a child. Would a possible wife accept a half ghost like him? These were all questions he pondered at night as he flew over the town. He knew there was one that would accept him no matter what, only one that wouldn't care what his blood did to their children, but she was forbidden territory. The number one rule of relationships was "never date your best friend," and he knew why: if the relationship didn't work out, it wasn't easy to go back to just being friends.

He had often considered asking her; Sam was always one to go against the system anyway, so how would this be any different? But he loved her too much to lose her even if that meant just staying friends. He flew higher, shooting through the clouds. He closed his eyes and fell back into a free-fall, listening to the whistling of the air in his ears, ruffling his hair. He caught himself before he fell too far, flying toward his best friend's house. He promised he'd check in with her after every ghost patrol; it had been her idea. She said it helped her sleep easier knowing he was okay, and when he didn't check in, she'd call him, which ended up in a load of confusion between he and his parents as they wondered why Sam would be calling him so late.

He flew to her window, allowing himself to simply hover before it. She was already asleep, her raven hair fanned about her slender face and upon her pillow. Her black comforter covered past her waist, revealing the lavender nightgown she always wore to bed. He flew through her window, floating beside her bed. She stirred and shivered at the temperature drop, and he smiled and pulled the comforter up to her chin. Her shivering ceased, and she curled her fingers in the comforter, curling up underneath it. She always looked so peaceful when she slept, and he hated to wake her to let her know that he'd checked in.

He returned to human form, dropping down lightly at the foot of her bed. He sat cross-legged, resting his hands in his lap as he just watched her sleep. He knew he could never tell her how he felt about her; she deserved someone that wasn't a freak like him, that could be there for her without getting interrupted by ghost attacks. He sighed, lowering his gaze to his hands. He could see the blood flowing in his veins, never revealing his little-known secret that it was also mixed with ghost ectoplasm. He almost wished that he and Sam had never met. He wouldn't have ghost powers, and she would find someone that could make her happy.

"Danny?"

He looked up at her soft voice, smiling as she sat up sleepily. "Hey, Sam," he said softly. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"No, it's okay." She yawned, rubbing sleep from her lilac eyes. "I don't mind your interruptions as much anymore," she teased.

He looked down, his smile fading. "If it weren't for these powers, I wouldn't have to interrupt you in the middle of the night," he whispered.

She sighed. "Danny," she said in a slight warning tone. They had had this conversation before… many times before. "Your powers make you unique. They make you who you are." She got out from under the covers, moving to his side and hugging him as she set her head on his shoulder. "Danny Phantom is part of you, not just some powers that you use."

"Sometimes I wish it wasn't a part of me," he admitted, still staring down at his hands. "I can't get close to anyone because of what I am."

It was a new twist on the whole "I don't want these powers" conversation, but Sam answered without hesitation.

"Yes, you can, Danny." She ruffled his hair, raising her head to look in his eyes.

He avoided her gaze. "No, I can't. What if you were half ghost? Do you think your potential husband would understand? And what about kids? They could end up being freaks like me."

"You're not a freak, Danny. You're a hero, and your potential wife would understand."

"No, she wouldn't," he whispered, playing with the loose strings on his pajama pants. "I mean, look at how Valerie reacts to Danny Phantom and the rest of the town."

"But look at the people who do know!" Sam argued. "Jazz hid the fact that she knew your secret from your parents and even _you_ until you were ready to tell her. Tucker and I were the whole reason you got these powers, and you haven't seen us running away screaming." She smiled as he laughed a little.

"I guess not," he admitted, "but you're the only girl I know that knows my secret and accepts me," he whispered, still not looking up at her.

A pink tint rose up in her pale cheeks, but she pushed it down. "Well, Paulina fell in love with you after she realized you were Fenton and Phantom," she said. "Maybe you should tell her. You could marry her."

"Sa-am," he gave her a look, "I can't just walk up to her and reveal my secret to her." He returned his gaze to the loose strings on his pants. "And I don't want to marry Paulina."

"Okay, that's new, but then who _do_ you want to marry?" she asked. "You already excluded Valerie yourself by saying how she reacts to Phantom. Who's the lucky girl you have in mind that you're afraid of getting close to."

He hesitated. "I-it's not that she wouldn't understand. She probably would, b-but I think she deserves someone who will be there for her, not someone that's off chasing ghosts all the time."

"Isn't that her choice though? If she can't understand that you have to leave sometimes to catch a few ghosts, does she really understand?" Sam asked. "I mean, come on, Danny. Look at me and Tucker. We're you're best friends, and we're always out there fighting the ghosts with you. We understand when you have to leave because of ghost problems."

"You guys have gotten annoyed with me before," he mumbled.

"That's because we're your friends, Danny. The understanding between a husband and wife would be greater, I would think," she said, "and why haven't you ever mentioned this girl before? Are you two dating?"

"No, but I wish we were," he said softly. He took a deep breath then looked up. "It's you, Sam."

It was her turn to look down under his intense gaze. She had been giving him advice on the situation through what she believed _she_ would do if she was his wife, and now he'd started the entire conversation because he was having doubts about _her_ reaction? She was his best friend and had been there with him when he got the powers. Of course she would understand! That's when she realized just how deep his doubt was. He had believed himself unlovable because of the powers that made him unique, that made him who he was.

She sighed, shaking her head. "Danny, I'm surprised at you."

The boy beside her winced then looked down. "I guess I shouldn't have said that," he said quietly.

"That's not what I'm surprised at." She set one hand on his shoulder, using the other to raise his head so she could gaze into his eyes. "I'm surprised that you should doubt me so much."

He blinked, obviously surprised. "I… but…"

"Danny, I've been there since Day 1, and I'll be damned if I'm going to treat you any differently if we got married. So, yes, Danny, your potential wife would understand, and no, she does not deserve someone that won't be running around chasing ghosts." She playfully glared at him. "Were you planning on dooming me to a boring life of a house wife until I died? I'd be out there fighting with you, and I don't care if our kids came out half ghosts or whatever. As long as you wanted kids, we'd have kids."

He smiled, eyes alight with a sparkle that had been dulled for many months now. "I guess it's too late to propose then, huh?"

And that sent them both into a fit of laughter. They went back to bed after that, and for the first time in a long time, Danny felt loved holding the woman that loved him as they slept.


	22. With You

_**Disclaimer: Danny Phantom—copyright Butch Hartman and Nickelodeon. "With You"—Jessica Simpson and her record company.**_

_**A quick note: Well, I don't like this one as much as the other few I've done, but it's still kinda cute.**_

**_Reviews: _**I found the elusive reviews that should've been in the last chapter so I'll post those up here too! Yay!

Samantha-Girl Scout (2), rin916 (3), dannynsam4ever, cutereviewgirl (3), Siren of Time, Moon Cosmic Power, Nobody is Somebody, shadowedstar213, Galateagirl, DxS Phreak.

* * *

**With You**

She stepped out of the building, pushing back a stray strand of raven hair that had escaped her perfect bun. Lilac eyes surveyed the world around her, and a smile brightened her entire face when she caught sight of her favorite person in the world. With his gorgeous crystal blue eyes and black hair, his looks were enough to make her knees go weak. His klutzy, reluctant hero personality only drew her in more. His eyes lit up when he saw her, and he held out a single white rose, pulling her closer when she took it and kissing her on the lips.

"I missed you," he whispered, nuzzling her nose with his. "Do you always have to work, Sammy?"

She smiled sadly, noting the pain in his blue eyes. It was true that she had been very busy lately, but it was her boss's fault. She was always working, and for some reason she felt Sam had to too. She had missed their first anniversary because of work, and it had broken her heart to see the wounded look on Danny's face when she had told him she wouldn't be in town that day. She had never thought he could be such a romantic, but he had surprised her that day by taking her out to a nice lunch and tying it all up with a romantic dinner for just the two of them at home that had ended in a very beautiful night indeed.

"You know if I could, I wouldn't work so much," she whispered back. She sighed as her cell rang just then.

She reached for it, but Danny beat her to it, picking it up. "Hello, this is Sam's husband, and she's busy at the moment and will be for probably eternity. Call back in a hundred years." Then to her surprise, he threw the phone across the street, grinning when it snapped in two then got run over by a passing car. "Well, I guess that means you're free," he said, turning back to his wife.

"Danny, that was a company phone!" she said.

"Hmm, maybe I should've thrown it in the lake then." He pulled her toward the car. "You need a break, and I'm not going to spend our anniversary the same way we did last year."

She laughed, letting him pull her away. "Fine, Mr. Bossy. Do I get to go home and change?"

"No, I brought your clothes," he replied with a cheeky grin, helping her into the passenger side of their midnight black Mustang convertible. "Besides, I think you look better without any."

"Danny!" she cried, blushing deeply.

He just smirked at her before climbing into the driver's side, taking off as Sam's boss ran out just then to complain. Sam reached up, loosening her long raven hair from its stiff bun, shaking her head as it fell down her shoulders. She loved the feel of the wind in her hair, and she smiled as Danny put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer. He leaned over and kissed her cheek, running his fingers through her hair.

"I like it better down," he said, kissing her on the lips this time.

She smiled then pulled off her work jacket, tossing it in the back seat. "You better watch the road or we're going to die in some freak accident."

He laughed, eyebrows wiggling. "Why would we die when we could just go through the car?"

And as if to prove his point, Danny set his hand on the side of the car. It went intangible, and he swerved onto the other side of the road, passing them straight through the oncoming car while Sam screamed. As soon as they were tangible again, she punched his arm making him laugh and rub his now sore shoulder.

"So where are we going?" she asked a few hours later.

"Somewhere special," he said with a smile, turning onto a small side road beside a sign that pointed out the direction of a small town called Amity Park.

"Aha, so you are taking me home," she teased.

"Almost." He pulled over when they reached the park, getting out as she did. "Man, this place has changed a lot."

And it had. Just like all small towns, it had eventually grown in spite of its strange ability to attract ghosts like moths to the flame. Danny slipped an arm around his wife, walking up the familiar hill to a spot in the bushes that only they knew about. That hadn't changed, nor had much in the little park. He lay down on his back, and Sam lay down beside him, resting her head on his shoulder and one hand on his chest. She sighed as he ran a hand through her hair, his other hand resting beneath his head. They used to come here a lot when they first got married, just lying in the grass watching the sunset then spending a passionate night together.

"I miss this," Sam whispered, snuggling closer to him.

"Yeah, me too," he whispered back, turning his head to set a gentle kiss on her forehead. "You should quit your job."

She made a face. "And have to beg my parents for money?"

"I make enough money to support us," he said, pretending to pout, "and besides you promised me we'd have a little boy soon. I'm not going to have you working while you're pregnant."

She smiled, kissing his nose. "You're so cute, and I know I promised you a baby."

He grinned, rolling over so he was hovering over her. "So does that mean I have your permission to begin on making that child?" he asked, eyes darkening.

She laughed, pushing on his chest. "Not yet. I want to see the sunset."

He pouted but rolled back over, laying beside her and holding her close. Together they watched the sun set, knowing that when it rose once more, a new day will have dawned for the world and for their lives.


	23. Savin' Me

**Disclaimer: Danny Phantom-This show is the sole property of Butch Hartman and MUST NOT BE CANCELLED! "Savin' Me" by Nickelback-This song is the sole property of said band. It's a very good song, and I like it.**

**A quick note: While at my cousins' this weekend, I listened to "Savin' Me" by Nickelback over and over again. I'm pretty sure I've made them sick of the song, but I think my cousin Kirsty likes it. This idea came to me in pieces while my cousin Ana was talking with her friend Hailey. We're supposed to be working on this "modern-day Peter Pan" story, but she's off talking and talking and talking, so this gave me a chance to begin my work on this beautiful work of fan fiction.**

**Reviews: er, they kinda got lost...

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**Savin' Me**

He clung to the brick building, shivering at the wind that swirled around him. He cried out as his foot slipped, reaching out with his hands to catch himself. He gritted his teeth as his broken arm burned from his elbow to his wrist. He could barely cling to the ledge of the eighteenth story, his arms bruised, bloodied, and his left one being broken. The toes of his sneakers dug into the bricks of the building, pushing him up as he pulled himself back onto the ledge, tears slipping down his dirty cheeks as he tried to keep himself from screaming in pain.

He curled up on the thin ledge, pulling his legs up to his chest, letting out a sharp gasp as his wounded ribs twanged in agony. His breath came in sharp gasps, glazed pale blue eyes closing for a moment before reopening to gaze up at the stars. Raven hair was blown back by a rough breeze, revealing the cut above his left brow. He missed his friends. Why hadn't they come with him? Tucker had had some sort of… geek thing to go to, and Sam.

He swallowed hard. "Sam," he whispered, leaning his head against the brick wall. He had told her it was too dangerous, and she had yelled at him then run away.

His gaze drifted to the window. It was so close, yet he couldn't find the strength to uncurl himself from his position. He was going to die here. It was becoming more and more difficult to breath, and blood was dribbling from his mouth. It was so cold. It was the middle of summer, but up here on the eighteenth story, it felt like it should be the middle of winter. Shock was settling in, and every single one of his wounds burned with a terrible fire. He curled up closer to the wall, eyes closing once more.

"Sam, please," he choked out, arms hugged around himself tightly.

She wouldn't come. Why would she? She couldn't hear him, and he couldn't contact her in any way. He was too weak to go ghost, and he couldn't reach the window in his present condition. He grimaced and gripped his side tightly as a fresh wound began to bleed in the cold air. He was never going to get out of here. He thought about letting himself fall off the building, but he would never see Sam again or his family. He raised his head, eyes opening once more. He thought he had heard his name called; no, he was hallucinating now.

"Danny!" The window closest to him opened, a familiar figure leaning out. Raven hair whipped around her face, the lilac eyes of an angel gazing out at him. "Oh, Danny," she whispered.

He reached out to her, and she leaned out to take hold of his hands. He cried out as she helped pull him up, ignoring her apology. He could barely take the few steps to get to the window, even though she kept hold of his hands. His eyes were closing on their own as she helped him into the room, and they both nearly toppled to the ground, sinking to their knees upon the ground. He leaned on her, trembling and gripping tightly to her jacket. He never wanted to let her go. He was afraid he was dreaming; he was going to wake up and find himself on the ledge again.

"Oh, Danny," she whispered, stroking his hair.

He felt something warm being wrapped around his shoulders. He recognized the black fleece blanket he had given her, and he wanted to object. It was going to get bloody. It would never be the same again. He couldn't find the strength, curling up closer to Sam's warmth and tugging the blanket closer. He could feel tears wetting his cheeks, tears that weren't his own. Sam was crying; she was crying for him. He had never seen her cry; she was his pillar of strength.

"Don't worry, Danny," she whispered, brushing his tears away with her thumb. "I'm going to take care of you, and we're going to get them back for this. I won't let them hurt you like this ever again."

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**A last quick note: Well, I guess you could call this a "Don't cancel Danny" story, if there is such a thing. We cannot allow them to cancel our hero. Support our hero! Let him fly again! Give us the next episode, you stupid orange blob!**


	24. Left Outside Alone

**Disclaimer: Danny Phantom is the sole property of Butch Hartman. "Left Outside Alone" by Anastacia is the sole property of Anastacia and her record company.**

**A quick note: This idea came to me late into the night and is actually written for October 13th. I'm afraid I was a little late for putting it up on FF then, but that's what it was written for.**

**Reviews: **I'm afraid they disappeared into a hole in cyberspace. Don't ask me how. I went to look for them, and they were just gone. Grrr…

**Left Outside Alone

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Friday the thirteenth. In October, no less. It was a day to be feared, and he did fear it. He huddled against the sudden draft, pale blue orbs raising to gaze up at the person that had opened the door. The man wore a smirk on his lips. He always did when he came to visit the prisoners. That was what the pale blue-eyed teen was. He was a prisoner, trapped within these cement walls that brought nightmares. A cry was torn from the teen's lips as the man raised his hand and backhanded him. The teen now lay on the ground, hands keeping his face from the ground. Raven bangs created a shadow over his eyes as the man flashed a light in his eyes. The teen raised his hand to shield his eyes, blinking in the unfamiliarity of the brightness. The man spoke.

"You know what day it is, don't you Daniel?"

His voice was harsh and cold, and the teen, referred to as Daniel, shivered. He nodded slowly then flinched as the man reached down, grasping the red collar of Daniel's white t-shirt and pulling him up to his face. Daniel cried out as what he feared happened. The man's fist connected with Daniel's side, and his smirk grew into a wicked smile as the crack of breaking bones echoed in the chamber. He released Daniel, the poor teen collapsing upon the ground and coughing up blood.

"Tell me, Daniel, how many Friday the thirteenth's has it been? How many times have I come in here to break you?" The man circled the trembling teen as he struggled to get his bearings, managing to pull himself up into an awkward sitting position. "Let me ask you this instead." Daniel grunted and doubled over as the man kicked him once more. "How many has it been _this year_, Daniel?"

Daniel coughed, wiping his mouth with a trembling hand as he gazed up at the man with glazed eyes. His lips moved, and he spoke for the first time in what seemed an eternity. "T-twice," he whispered. His voice sounded broken and empty, unused for many, many days.

"That's right, Daniel. Twice this year." The man continued to circle him. "You must be better at math than I first believed."

"You'd be surprised what can change in a few years," the teen choked out. "Math skills, stamina…. immunity to certain drugs."

The man's foot connected with the side of Daniel's head. The impact threw the young man several feet. He bounced a few times before rolling to a stop in the light revealed by the open door. He had landed on his stomach, his arms sprawled by his head and legs lying at the odd angle they had fallen. He was still breathing; yes, that much the man was still certain of. The man stepped forward, removing a vial of red liquid from his pocket. He stopped only inches from the young man, blood dribbling from his lips as he gurgled. A hand raised to his chest, blood pouring from the wound. He hadn't even heard a gun. Then he dropped to the ground unceremoniously, dead before his head even hit the floor. The vial shattered, the cork bouncing and rolling about on the floor, finally coming to rest not far from Daniel's left hand.

A shadow fell over the two unmoving figures, a gun held in one hand. Daniel stirred and raised his head, blinking and raising a hand to shield his eyes. The light gave the figure the appearance of a glowing countenance, like an angel. Long raven hair flowed down the figure's shoulders and about the shadowed face as the wind blew. The figure stepped into the shadowy cell, and the angelic features of a female teen were revealed. Lilac met pale sapphire, and a sad tilt of her lips greeted him as she gazed down upon his trembling, broken body.

"Sam," Daniel whispered, then darkness claimed him once more.


End file.
